Pope Prays For End To 'fratricidal Hatred' As He Celebrates Anniversary With Visit To Pompeii

POMPEII, Italy — Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for governmental leaders to extremity nan “fratricidal hatred” successful nan world, arsenic he spent nan day of his predetermination successful nan ancient metropolis of Pompeii commemorating a feast time that is peculiarly important to him and coincided past twelvemonth pinch nan commencement of his pontificate.

Leo traveled by chopper to Pompeii, adjacent Naples, for a daylong sojourn to people nan May 8 feast of Our Lady of Pompeii. The day marks nan time successful 1876, erstwhile nan cornerstone for a shrine dedicated to nan Virgin Mary successful Pompeii was laid.

The sanctuary is located adjacent nan excavations of nan metropolis that was buried successful A.D. 79, erstwhile Mount Vesuvius erupted and spewed volcanic ash and state crossed nan region. While nan Pompeii archaeological tract draws millions of visitors each year, nan sanctuary attracts Catholic pilgrims who are peculiarly devoted to praying nan rosary.

“What a beautiful day, really galore blessings nan Lord wanted to springiness to each of us,” Leo told throngs of religious wrong nan sanctuary earlier Mass. “I consciousness I americium nan first blessed to beryllium capable to travel present to nan sanctuary of nan Madonna connected nan time of her feast and connected this anniversary.”

The sojourn kicked disconnected a bid of time trips that Leo will beryllium making complete nan adjacent fewer weeks, up and down nan Italian peninsula, arsenic he gets to cognize amended nan Italian religion of which he is nan symbolic caput arsenic bishop of Rome.

A dream for leaders to beryllium enlightened to prosecute peace

In his homily astatine nan sanctuary, Leo entrusted his pontificate to nan Virgin Mary and prayed for peace.

“We cannot resign ourselves to nan images of decease that nan news presents to america each day,” Leo said. “May nan God of bid move retired an overflowing abundance of mercy, rubbing hearts, soothing grudges and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who carnivore typical responsibilities of governance.”

Friday marked nan day of nan predetermination of nan erstwhile Robert Prevost arsenic history’s first U.S.-born pope. Leo had referred to nan Pompeii feast time connected nan nighttime of his election, erstwhile he emerged connected nan loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and was introduced to nan world. That night, he led nan religious successful nan piazza beneath successful a dream for his pontificate.

He said past that Mary, nan mother of Christ, “always wants to locomotion astatine our side, to stay adjacent to us, to thief america pinch her intercession and her love.”

“Let america believe together for this caller mission, for nan full church, for bid successful nan world, and fto america inquire Mary, our Mother, for this typical grace,” Leo said then.

The Pompeii sanctuary is intimately associated pinch nan fig of St. Bartolo Longo, who founded nan basilica and is venerated particularly successful Italy for his charitable useful for orphans, prisoners and different marginalized people. Pope Francis had approved nan occurrence basal for Longo’s canonization from his infirmary room, conscionable a fewer weeks earlier he died, and Leo made him a saint successful October.

Pompeii welcomes Leo

Leo opened his sojourn to Pompeii by gathering pinch sick and abnormal group who are cared for by a kindness halfway affiliated pinch nan sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica successful 1901.

In his opening remarks, Leo recalled that erstwhile Longo arrived successful nan Pompeii valley, “he recovered a onshore plagued by awesome poverty, inhabited by a fewer very mediocre farmers, and ravaged by malaria and bandits.”

“He was capable to see, however, nan look of Christ successful everyone: successful nan awesome and nan small, and particularly successful nan orphans and nan children of prisoners, to whom he made nan beating of God’s bosom felt done his tenderness,” he said.

Leo was met by throngs of cheering Italians, immoderate of whom had been waiting since nan mediate of nan nighttime to shake hands him. They seemed keenly alert of Leo’s caller sparring pinch U.S. President Donald Trump complete nan Iran war, and said they liked what they saw.

“He doesn’t fto anyone intimidate him. Look astatine nan caller issues pinch Trump,” said Rita Borriello, from adjacent Torre del Greco. Trump criticized him, but Leo “simply answered, ‘I preach nan Gospel’. I spot him arsenic a very humble pope, very adjacent to us, a pope who entered successful our hearts.”

Santalucia and Winfield constitute for nan Associated Press. Winfield reported from Rome.