Leo XIV visits Church of St. Anselm, linked with Leo XIII

Leo XIV had come from his residence in Castel Gandolfo, southeast of Rome, where he had taken his Tuesday rest day. Upon his arrival, he was greeted on the parvis by Abbot Primate Jeremias Schröder. He then entered the neo-Romanesque church, sprinkling holy water on the congregation. The Pope then symbolically received the keys to St. Anselm's, presented in a case.

In his homily, the Pontiff emphasized that Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903) had “dearly desired” this church to be built, and had promoted its construction. He also recalled that his predecessor had worked for the unity of the Benedictine order by founding the Benedictine Confederation in 1893.

Saint Anselm is the “primatial” abbey — where the abbot primate resides (the head of the Confederation).

Leo XIII, he added, was convinced that this monastic order, founded in the 6th century, was “a valuable aid” in an era “full of challenges, as was the transition from the 19th to the 20th century.”

“Even in our time, there is no shortage of challenges,” said Leo XIV, referring to the “rapid changes” and “unprecedented issues” that are emerging today.

He emphasized the role of the monastery “as a place of growth, peace, hospitality, and unity, even during the darkest periods of history.”

The Pope also referred to the dedication (consecration) of this church of Saint Anselm, which took place on November 11, 1900. The dedication, he emphasized:

He expressed his hope that the Benedictine church would be “a place of joy, where one experiences the beauty of sharing with others what one has received freely.”

The Saint Anselm complex, on the hill between the Tiber and the Baths of Caracalla, also includes a Pontifical Athenaeum: a university of theology, philosophy, and liturgy.

Some 90 monks live there, coming from more than 30 countries. The Benedictine order currently has some 7,500 monks and 13,000 nuns.

Since 1962, it has been at Saint Anselm's that the popes have inaugurated the liturgical season of Lent each year. Surrounded by cardinals and bishops, the pontiffs begin a procession from this church to the church of Santa Sabina, where they celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass.