Pope Leo travelled by helicopter to Pavia this weekend. The city, which is 500 km from Rome, holds great significance for the Augustinian community. His first stop was a cancer hospital.
There, he addressed patients, staff and their families, offering words of encouragement and hope.
POPE LEO XIV
We can win this battle too. We must be strong, we must believe… And when things get tough, we must also place all our trust in God, who is with us and helps us with his blessing.
His second stop was the Basilica of Saint Peter in Ciel d’Oro, where he celebrated Mass with his fellow Augustinians.
The basilica houses the remains of Saint Augustine. For Pope Leo it was a particularly meaningful moment of prayer and reflection.
POPE LEO XIV
The figure of Saint Augustine shines with a precious light. His thought, the story of his conversion and his spirituality remind us of the value and primacy of inner life.
The pope then venerated the relics of the saint he considers his spiritual father.
But his pastoral visit did not end in Pavia. Before returning to Rome, Pope Leo made a brief stop at the birthplace of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. She is patron saint of migrants, and devoted much of her life to serving immigrants in the Americas.
At the Basilica of Saints Anthony Abbot and Frances Cabrini, the pope venerated the saint’s heart.
POPE LEO XIV
I am here to pay tribute to Mother Cabrini, Patroness of Migrants, the first saint of the United States of America, born here in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano in 1850, and who died in Chicago, my hometown, in 1917. When I learnt that Sant’Angelo Lodigiano is just a few kilometres from Pavia, I thought I’d take the opportunity… And here I am. Thank you for your warm welcome!
This was the latest in a series of pastoral visits Pope Leo XIV has been making across Italy. His next stop will be Lampedusa, where he is scheduled to visit on July 4.
