On the occasion of the first anniversary of his pontificate, Leo XIV is in Pompeii and Naples on Friday, May 8, participating in the traditional supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary. This visit, motivated by various factors, sheds light on the Pope's discreet but profound Marian devotion.
"Today is the day of the Prayer of Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love." From the very first speech of his pontificate on May 8, 2025, Leo XIV offered a glimpse of his devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary. A year later, on Friday, he'll travel in person to the foot of Mount Vesuvius to thank the Blessed Virgin for this first year on the throne of Peter.
Pompeii, famous for its ancient ruins, also houses a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its cornerstone was laid on May 8, 1876, exactly 150 years to the day before Leo XIV's visit this Friday. Saint Bartolo Longo, whom Leo XIV canonized on October 19, 2025, spearheaded the creation of this place of Marian devotion.
Every May 8 at noon, the supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii is recited all over the world. Standing before thousands of people in the Piazza Bartolo Longo, Leo XIV prayed this prayer written by the shrine’s founder.
The faithful implore Mary's mercy for families, the Church, and the world, addressing her as the "Queen of Peace." It's a title that naturally resonates with Leo XIV, who is deeply committed to ending global conflicts.
A discreet Marian devotion
This visit by the 267th pope to Pompeii offers a chance to learn more about Leo XIV's devotion to the Blessed Virgin. While Pope Francis had a very overt Marian devotion, the current pontiff is more discreet on the subject, though he leaves plenty of clues pointing to a sincere Marian piety, and particularly a devotion to the Rosary. He has shared that his parents prayed the Rosary together every evening.
His papal coat of arms is another prime example. The left side of his shield features a white lily on a blue background. Both the flower and the color are highly recognizable Marian symbols. At the end of January, he also took part in the installation of a mosaic dedicated to the Blessed Virgin in the Vatican Gardens. The latest example came on April 23, when Leo XIV showed palpable emotion in front of a statue of the Blessed Virgin depicted with African features in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea.
In the footsteps of his predecessors
For the Pontiff, this trip to Pompeii is also be an opportunity to pay tribute to Leo XIII, who had close ties to the shrine. Leo XIV chose his papal name specifically to align himself with the legacy of this late 19th-century pope.
Leo XIII, nicknamed the "pope of the rosary," elevated the shrine to a minor basilica in 1901, calling it the "parish of the world."
This visit to Pompeii is also a way to follow in the footsteps of his most recent predecessors. The Campanian shrine has become an almost mandatory stop for successive pontiffs. Pope Saint John Paul II visited in October 1979, just days after his own first anniversary, and again in 2003. Benedict XVI and Pope Francis traveled there on October 19, 2008, and March 21, 2015, respectively.
"So I would like to pray together with you," Leo XIV added on May 8, 2025, to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. One year later, this promise will take shape in Pompeii, where the pope will join Catholics worldwide in entrusting this first year of his pontificate to the Virgin Mary.
Following this moment of fervent prayer in Pompeii, the Pope will head to the bustling city of Naples, where he is expected on Friday afternoon to continue his anniversary day.
