Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass and led the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii on Thursday at the Marian shrine founded by Blessed Bartolo Longo, in a day marked by large crowds of worshippers, volunteers and people living with illness or disability.
During his homily, the Pope described the Rosary as a prayer that directs attention toward the suffering and urgent needs of the modern world. Referring to the apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Leo XIV stressed that two concerns remain especially pressing today: “the family, weakened by the fragility of marital bonds, and peace, threatened by international tensions and by an economy that prefers the arms trade to respect for human life.”
After arriving in a white golf cart, the Pope paused in prayer before the remains of Bartolo Longo, founder of the shrine, and personally greeted the sick and disabled faithful gathered inside the basilica. According to the Holy See, around 400 patients and caregivers were welcomed at the sanctuary.
Warmly applauded by the crowd, Leo XIV also spoke off script, reflecting on the significance of the occasion. “What a beautiful day, how many blessings,” he said. “I feel like the first person to be blessed to be here at the shrine on the day of the Supplication and on this anniversary.”
May 8 also marks the first anniversary of Leo XIV’s election to the papacy. One year ago, appearing for the first time from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, he referred to the traditional Supplication written by Bartolo Longo, which is recited every year in Pompeii by thousands of Catholics around the world.
Addressing the faithful, the Pope emphasized the closeness of Christ and the protection of the Virgin Mary. “Jesus always walks with us; he is always near us,” he said. “Mary is always with us too – a mother who accompanies her children with her intercession and her love.”
During his visit to the Temple of Charity, Leo XIV recalled Bartolo Longo’s social and spiritual mission in an area once devastated by poverty, malaria and banditry. “Here, the temple of charity and the temple of faith sustain one another,” the Pope said, highlighting the sanctuary’s charitable work through educational centers, family homes and a soup kitchen dedicated to Pope Francis.
He concluded by praising Longo’s conviction that “only charity guarantees victories that are certain, great and lasting.”
News Source: 9Colonne
