Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Subscribe for a month to get full access

Premium

Pope Leo takes first trip outside Vatican

Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), in Rome, Italy, May 10, 2025.

Photo credit: Reuters

By  Reuters

What you need to know:

  • Pope Leo XIV, the former US Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected pope on May 8, 2025.
  • The Pope shook hands and offered blessings to a few people in the crowd before entering the shrine.

Pope Leo XIV took his first trip outside the Vatican on Saturday, heading about an hour's drive east of Rome to the small Italian town of Genazzano to visit a shrine to the Virgin Mary.

The new pontiff arrived for the unannounced visit in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen vehicle and was greeted to cheers from crowds gathered outside the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Leo, the former US Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected pope on May 8. He is a member of the Augustinian religious order, which runs the shrine in Genazzano.

Related

Leo shook hands and offered blessings to a few people in the crowd before entering the shrine.

The late Pope Francis, who died on April 21, made surprise visits to Catholic sites near Rome quite frequently. He was particularly devoted to Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major, another Marian shrine, and chose to be buried there.