ITALY — Pope Leo XIV has begun his first series of pastoral visits across Italy since his election, bringing a message of closeness, solidarity, and hope to communities marked by faith and suffering alike.

The Holy Father’s first journey carried deep symbolic significance, taking place on the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii — a day that also marks the anniversary of his election to the papacy. Throughout the visit, Pope Leo emphasized the maternal presence of Mary in the life of the Church, reminding the faithful that “Our Mother Mary always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love.”

A Pilgrimage to Pompeii

The Pope’s itinerary began in Naples and Pompeii, home to the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, one of Italy’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, welcoming more than three million pilgrims every year.

Founded in the late nineteenth century by Bartolo Longo — the former satanic priest who converted and became known as the “Apostle of the Rosary” — the sanctuary remains a powerful symbol of conversion, healing, and Marian devotion. Pope Leo canonized Longo on Oct. 19, 2025, further strengthening the spiritual importance of the shrine for Catholics around the world.

For generations, pilgrims have come to Pompeii seeking consolation, spiritual renewal, and hope through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A Papal Visit to the “Land of Fires”

The next stop on Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral itinerary will take him to Acerra on May 23, where he will become the first pope to visit the heart of the so-called “Land of Fires.”

The region has long been plagued by illegal dumping, unauthorized landfills, and the burning of toxic waste, releasing dangerous pollutants into the air and contributing to growing health concerns among residents. Pope Francis had planned to visit the area in 2020, but the trip was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bishop Antonio Di Donna, president of the Campania Episcopal Conference, acknowledged that many in the community had almost lost hope that a papal visit would ever happen. “My colleagues, but above all the people, kept asking me: isn’t the Pope coming?” he said, explaining that he decided to make one final appeal to the Holy Father. “Pope Leo immediately accepted my request.”

During the visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to meet with local bishops, encounter families who have lost loved ones or suffered illnesses connected to toxic pollution, and travel through the city aboard the popemobile. Together with residents, he will also recite the Prayer of Creation from Laudato Si’, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to caring for creation and defending human dignity.

According to Bishop Di Donna, the Pope is coming “to strengthen our commitment, to encourage us, and to bring renewed attention to the issue of caring for creation — a truly defining challenge of our time.”

Stories of Loss and Service

For many families in Acerra, the environmental crisis is deeply personal.

Angelo Venturato lost his daughter Maria to cancer when she was just 20 years old. The disease began in her leg before spreading to her lungs. Recalling their first encounter with doctors, Venturato said the experience was devastating. “The first thing they asked us was: where are you from? We said Acerra. He lowered his head and said: unfortunately, you are not the only ones.”

Out of that suffering was born an association inspired by a tattoo Maria shared with her father: “If you reach out your hand, you will find mine.” Today, Venturato and his family dedicate themselves to transporting cancer patients free of charge to hospitals and treatment centers while also distributing wigs to those undergoing chemotherapy.

Venturato explained that years passed before he was financially able to begin the project after exhausting his savings caring for his daughter. He credited Bishop Di Donna’s support for helping make the initiative possible, saying, “I never could have done it alone.”

The Church’s Presence in a Suffering Land

Fear and uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on many residents of the region. Vincenzo Castaldo, director of Caritas Acerra, said some people have become so discouraged that they avoid medical examinations altogether, often saying, “better not to know, we’re going to die anyway.”

Castaldo admitted that hearing such words is painful for the Church, which seeks to remain close to those suffering.

In response to the growing needs of the community, the Diocese of Acerra has expanded its outreach through a medical clinic established within diocesan facilities, offering free access to healthcare and assistance. Castaldo described the initiative as “a gesture of tenderness” from the Church toward the people of the area.

The Diocese has also transformed part of the bishop’s residence into a community space for struggling families, migrants, and vulnerable residents living in overcrowded conditions in the historic center of Acerra.

A Call for Justice and Hope

Advocates continue to push for accountability and environmental cleanup in the Land of Fires. The Association for the Implementation of the ECHR Ruling is monitoring Italy’s compliance with a January 2025 ruling from the European Court of Human Rights, which condemned the Italian state for violating the right to life because of hazardous waste pollution.

Association president Valentina Centonze said the ruling clearly calls for the cleanup of contaminated land and highlights years of political failure in protecting public health.

For Centonze and many others, Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit represents more than a symbolic gesture. She described it as “a moment of great courage” for a community that often feels abandoned while facing a crisis too large to confront alone.

“The closeness of the Holy Father to our land is without question a source of comfort and support,” she said, adding that the visit may also encourage leaders to take the environmental emergency more seriously.

As Pope Leo XIV continues these first pastoral visits across Italy, his message remains consistent: the Church must remain close to those who suffer, offering not only words of compassion, but also renewed hope rooted in faith, solidarity, and care for human dignity.

Adapted by Jacob Stein