Pope Leo inaugurates Vatican-run ecological training centre

Pope Leo on Friday (September 5) inaugurated a new Vatican-run ecological training centre in the Italian countryside, an initiative Catholic officials say is designed to encourage world leaders to confront climate change.

The centre, set across 55 hectares (136 acres) within the grounds of a Renaissance-era papal villa in Castel Gandolfo, features gardens, vocational training facilities, and educational programmes for local children.

During the visit, Pope Leo donned a gifted hat and fed a carrot to a horse at the centre.

The project, known as “Borgo Laudato Si”, was first unveiled in 2023 by the late Pope Francis, a committed advocate of environmental stewardship. Officials noted that the site represents around 55 percent of the Vatican’s total landholdings.

The opening ceremony was marked by a performance from Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo.

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