Pope Leo XIV to Begin Italian Pastoral Visits in Campania: A Focus on Faith and Environmental Justice
Pope Leo XIV has chosen Campania as the starting point for his pastoral visits in Italy, a significant gesture highlighting the Pontiff’s particular attention to the region. The visit, scheduled for May, will include three key stops: Pompeii and Naples on May 8th, and Acerra on May 23rd, where he will address the critical issue of the ‘Land of Fires’.
Pompeii: Homage to the Virgin of the Rosary and San Bartolo Longo
The papal visit will commence on Friday, May 8th, marking the first anniversary of his election, in Pompeii. Pope Leo XIV, a devotee of the Virgin of the Rosary, will arrive at the Marian city at 8:50 AM. He will be welcomed by Archbishop Prelate Monsignor Tommaso Caputo and other civil authorities. Following a brief meeting with charitable organizations, the Pope will proceed in an open-top car to the piazza, then to the Sanctuary to pay homage to San Bartolo Longo, the founder of the Marian Sanctuary. At 10:30 AM, he will celebrate Mass in the piazza, concluding at 12:00 PM with the Supplication to the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii.
Naples: Encounter with Clergy and the Faithful, and the Miracle of San Gennaro
After lunch, at 3:00 PM, Pope Leo XIV will depart by helicopter for Naples, landing at Rotonda Diaz. He will be greeted by Cardinal Don Mimmo Battaglia, President of the Region Roberto Fico, Mayor Gaetano Manfredi, and Prefect Michele Di Bari. In Naples, the Pope will have two significant engagements: an encounter with the Neapolitan clergy, deacons, and laity in the Cathedral, where he will venerate the relics of San Gennaro, which will be exposed for the occasion. The possibility of a miracle would be seen as an additional positive sign. Subsequently, he will proceed to Piazza del Plebiscito, where 30,000 people are expected to gather.
Extensive organizational efforts are currently underway to ensure security and efficiency, involving over a thousand volunteers. Access to the piazza will open at 10:00 AM. The Neapolitan Curia has announced that tickets are still available and can be reserved individually through an online booking procedure on the official website chiesadinapoli.it. From 1:30 PM, a storytelling and music show will begin, featuring guides Chiara del Gaudio and Andrea Sarubbi, and a choir directed by Maestro Carlo Morelli. The event will be themed around Emmaus, with Eduardo De Filippo as the narrator, and will involve approximately 1200 young people from youth and vocational pastoral care. The Pope will also listen to classic Neapolitan repertoire pieces such as ‘O sole mio and ‘O surdato nnammurato, alongside more recent works like ‘O sarracino by Renato Carosone and ‘A me me piace ‘o blues by Pino Daniele.
Acerra: Confronting the ‘Land of Fires’ on Laudato si’ Anniversary
The final stop in Campania will be on May 23rd in Acerra, where Pope Leo XIV will directly address the issue of the ‘Land of Fires’. He will arrive at 8:45 AM at the ‘Arcoleo’ sports field in Acerra, welcomed by Bishop Antonio Di Donna and Mayor Tito d’Errico. At 9:15 AM, in the Cathedral, he will meet with the Bishops of Campania, clergy, and families who have suffered due to environmental pollution. After his address, at 10:30 AM in Piazza Calipari, he will meet with the mayors of the ‘Land of Fires’ municipalities. Following a second address at 12:00 PM, he will depart for the Vatican.
May 23rd is also a significant date, marking eleven years since the encyclical letter Laudato si’ on the care for our common home. This visit fulfills a desire expressed by Pope Francis to visit the ‘Land of Fires’. Bishop Antonio Di Donna described Pope Leo’s presence in the Diocese of Acerra as a “special grace,” stating that “the Pope comes to listen, along with the bishops, especially those from dioceses most affected by pollution, to the suffering of our people, and to remember the other ‘Lands of Fires’ in Italy.”
