Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano. AnewZ covered the event, with journalist Maria Rodriguez Abalde on-site. She witnessed the occasion firsthand and documented key moments. More images and footage will be available soon.
The visit created a stir in the town, especially when a heightened police presence was noticed earlier in the day. Locals were thrilled and honored to welcome the Pope, especially as this marked his first pastoral visit since becoming Pontiff.
The Pope was warmly received by the Augustinian friars of the basilica, the town's mayor Fabio Ascenzi, and the local bishop. He took time to greet the faithful gathered in the square, exchanged brief words with the bishop, and then entered the church to pray in front of the statue of the Madonna.
Pope Leo XIV's connection to Genazzano is longstanding. Even before becoming Pope, he had visited the basilica numerous times, especially as a cardinal, including his most recent visit on April 25 during the Feast of the 'Coming' of the Mother of Good Counsel. The Augustinians, the Pope's own religious order, have had a presence in Genazzano since the 13th century, deepening his ties to the town.
A resident speaking to Fanpage recalled, "He loves this place. He would often come here. This morning felt unusual with so much police activity, but now we know why. We're very proud". Another woman, speaking to TV2000, said, "I found out he was coming a couple of hours before. In a small town like this, news travels fast. I was the first to see him, but I couldn't find the words to speak. He is truly a wonderful Pope".
Many townspeople expressed hope of getting close enough to shake the Pope's hand, especially since the visit comes just days after his election.
The ANewZ channel covered the event, capturing photos and videos of this special moment for the local community. Journalist Maria Rodriguez Abalde was present at the scene and observed the event as it unfolded. More images and videos will be released soon.
Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) signed the Gabala Declaration at the 12th Summit of the Council of Heads of State, outlining new pr...
At least 15 people have been killed after a rain-triggered landslide sent huge boulders crashing onto a private bus in India’s northern state of Him...
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his disappointment in his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin with regards to the ongoing war in Ukraine....
Fred Ramsdell of Sonoma Biotherapeutics was hiking and "off grid" and so could not be reached by the Nobel Committee to let him know he had won the Pr...
Euro zone finance ministers are set to meet on Thursday to explore ways to boost the development of euro-denominated stablecoins, amid concerns that t...
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, his first trip abroad since assuming the papacy.
Pope Leo said on Thursday he hopes to travel to Türkiye later this year for the 1,700th anniversary of a major Christian Church summit, in what would be the first foreign trip of his papacy.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei met Pope Leo at the Vatican, confirming the pontiff’s upcoming visit to Argentina.
Pope Leo XIV met with Napoli’s soccer team at the Vatican on Tuesday to celebrate their Serie A victory. Napoli clinched the title, known as the "Scudetto" after beating Cagliari, finishing just one point ahead of Inter Milan.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
At least 15 people have been killed after a rain-triggered landslide sent huge boulders crashing onto a private bus in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday evening.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his disappointment in his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin with regards to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Fred Ramsdell of Sonoma Biotherapeutics was hiking and "off grid" and so could not be reached by the Nobel Committee to let him know he had won the Prize in the Physiology or Medicine category.
The Taliban have once again reiterated their stance on the Bagram air base, stating that no one will be allowed to take control of it.
Four migrants died after their boat sank off the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece's coastguard said on Tuesday after launching a search-and-rescue operation in the area.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment