Castel Gandolfo is preparing to welcome Pope Leo XIV on July 6. The imposing papal villa in this town on the shores of Lake Albano, a fortified 17th-century palace, was converted into a museum for tourists in 2016 by the decision of Pope Francis.

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Although only a few rooms are open to the public, they feature showcases exhibiting liturgical vestments belonging to previous popes as well as their portraits.

The Argentine pontiff didn’t pack his bags to go there in the summer like his predecessors but instead stayed in room 201 on the second floor of St. Martha’s House at the Vatican, where he usually resided.

“He [Francis] did a lot for the city, opening the doors of the papal residence and the gardens… But now, Leo XIV will return to the city its daily connection with the pope: the Angelus, the visits, the contact with the people. We want to experience all of that again,” Mayor Alberto de Angelis told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

A place of rest, prayer, and study for popes

Castel Gandolfo has been for centuries a place of rest, prayer, and study for popes. Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI spent their summers there, prayed the Sunday Angelus, and mingled with the townspeople.

The return of Leo XIV marks the beginning of a new era, which seeks to recover that dimension of closeness and pastoral presence: “We don’t want to look to the past with nostalgia but to the future. And the pope’s return gives us hope. The heart of the city returns,” De Angelis said.

Although many remember Castel Gandolfo’s apostolic palace as the traditional summer residence of the popes, Leo XIV will be staying in another structure within the Vatican complex.

“The pope will not be staying in the museum. He will be staying in a third structure. This will allow for a balance between being open for tourism and residential use,” the mayor explained in reference to Villa Barberini, a historic building that is also part of the pontifical complex, which will allow the museums to remain open to the public.

The mayor couldn’t hide his great joy at Leo XIV’s decision to revive the tradition of residing there during the summer months.

“Since 1628, the popes have lived in Castel Gandolfo. Some more, some less, but their presence has been constant. This is a city accustomed to the daily life of the pope,” he explained.

A city preparing to welcome the pope

The last time Castel Gandolfo hosted a pope for a period of time was during the pontificate of Benedict XVI, who also chose it as a temporary residence after his resignation in 2013. Consequently, the people of Castel Gandolfo, especially the younger ones, are very excited.

“Many have grown up during this decade of papal absence and don’t have a clear idea of ​​what it means to have the pope physically among us,” the mayor noted. But that is starting to change: “There is work underway; we have increased the presence of law enforcement and reorganized certain spaces; there is a certain excitement in the atmosphere.”

And it’s not just a logistical issue. “We’re looking forward to the return of the Swiss Guards, who haven’t been in Castel Gandolfo for 12 years,” he said. “That has a fundamental symbolic and identity value. In all the historic photographs of the town, Castel Gandolfo is shown with the Swiss Guards. The presence of the pope is part of our DNA,” De Angelis added.

A warm welcome and plans in motion

July 6 will be special. As confirmed by the mayor, in the morning the pope will pray the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square and in the afternoon he will travel to Castel Gandolfo where municipal authorities have planned an official welcoming ceremony.

“We want him to feel at home,” the mayor said: “We are consulting with the people around him to find out what he likes. We want to surprise him. We can’t afford to make a fool of ourselves. We want to get to know him, not by what others say but to discover it ourselves. To talk with him, to greet him… And, hopefully, to ask him to be with us throughout the year.”

To this end, the town is working intensively on security, mobility, and accessibility planning. “We are working with an engineering firm to develop a security plan for the entire historic center, including its surrounding streets. All of this must be done while respecting security measures without disrupting the city’s daily life,” he noted. However, the mayor can’t hide his hope that this stay — which for now will be limited to a few weeks in July and August — will be extended.

“We hope — and wish — that it won’t be just a summer visit. This is his second city after Rome, and, like Rome, we want to compete… we want him here more than in Rome, obviously,” he added.

FIND THE POPE’S BIOGRAPHY HERE

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.