🕊️ Pope Leo XIV in Pompeii: A Historic Event on Our Doorstep
A moment of grace for the entire Vesuvian territory
May 8, 2026 will be an unforgettable date for Pompeii and all of Campania. Pope Leo XIV, on the first anniversary of his election to the pontifical throne, will arrive for a pastoral visit to the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii — just a few kilometers from our vineyards on the slopes of Vesuvius.
The choice of this date is no coincidence: it was on May 8, 2025 — the very day of the Supplication to the Madonna of Pompeii — that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV. Returning here one year later is a deeply symbolic gesture: once again entrusting his pontificate to the Virgin of Pompeii.
The day’s programme
The Pope will arrive by helicopter at 8:50 AM at the Sanctuary’s Meeting Area. After an encounter with those welcomed in the sanctuary’s social works, and a moving visit to the Chapel of San Bartolo Longo — the sanctuary’s founder, whom he himself canonised in October 2025 — he will travel through the historic centre in an open-top vehicle amid the joy of the faithful. At 10:30 AM he will preside over the solemn Eucharistic Celebration in Piazza Bartolo Longo, at the end of which he will lead the recitation of the Supplication.
A land, a history
Bosco de’ Medici is deeply rooted in this extraordinary land, where the ancient history of the Pompeii excavations intertwines with popular devotion and the generosity of Vesuvius. The Pope’s visit fills us with pride and emotion: an event that celebrates the values of peace, community and hope that we hold close to our hearts.
The visit also carries exceptional historical significance, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the laying of the Sanctuary’s foundation stone (May 8, 1876) and the 125th anniversary of the inauguration of its façade, dedicated to universal peace.
We are delighted to share this joy with you. Welcome, Holy Father, to our land!
