Pope Leo XIV visits a hilltop summer residence that Francis turned into museum

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Pope Leo XIV is visiting the papal summertime palace southbound of Rome

ROME -- Pope Leo XIV visited the papal summertime palace southbound of Rome connected Thursday arsenic questions swirled whether helium volition usage it himself to flight the vigor oregon travel successful Pope Francis’ footsteps and support the hilltop property arsenic a depository and biology center.

Leo paid a sojourn to the Borgo Laudato Si, an acquisition sustainability task that grew retired of Francis’ 2015 biology encyclical “Praised Be,” the Vatican said. The halfway is located successful the gardens of the Vatican’s Castel Gandolfo spot connected Lake Alban successful the hills southbound of Rome.

Pope Urban VIII built the palace connected the bluish extremity of municipality successful 1624, to springiness popes an flight from the sweltering Roman summers. It was enlarged implicit succeeding pontificates to its contiguous size of 55 hectares (136 acres), which is really bigger than Vatican City itself.

Popes past utilized it regularly successful summer, and Pope Benedict XVI famously closed retired his papacy determination connected Feb. 28, 2013. But Francis, a homebody who ne'er took a due abrogation during his 12-year pontificate, decided to stay successful Rome successful summer.

In 2014 helium decided to unfastened Castel Gandolfo’s gardens to the public, and aboriginal turned portion of the palazzo itself into a museum, successful portion to assistance offset the economical downturn the municipality experienced with nary popes holding play Sunday prayers determination successful summer.

Leo, a erstwhile missionary clergyman who spent the bulk of his priesthood successful Peru, hasn’t said wherever helium volition unrecorded full-time successful Rome, overmuch little whether helium volition usage the palace arsenic a summertime getaway.

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