"Dear Pope Leo": Hundreds of Letters a Day Flood Vatican from Around the World

Vatican City, July 11, 2025 : It has become a daily ritual within the Italian postal system: an overwhelming flow of letters addressed to Pope Leo XIV, with more than 220 pounds of correspondence arriving at the Vatican every single day.

At the Italian Postal Service's dedicated workstation for Vatican-bound mail, staff are well accustomed to the volume. “We handle around 100 kilograms of post daily just for the Pope,” said Antonello Chidichimo of Poste Italiane. “This trend has remained steady, even following the election of the new Pontiff.”

The postal workers have no trouble sorting the letters, even when senders omit formal addresses. “If it simply says ‘To the Pope’ or ‘Leo XIV’, everyone knows exactly which tray it belongs in,” explained Chidichimo.

The letters come from all corners of the globe, offering a glimpse into the Pope’s global reach. “Just looking at the stamps, you see places like Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Japan and beyond,” Chidichimo added.

Each day, large boxes filled with heartfelt messages and petitions are loaded onto trucks and sent on their final journey—bound for the Apostolic Palace or other Vatican offices.

While the senders vary—from faithful believers seeking prayers to world leaders expressing solidarity—what unites them is a shared desire to connect with the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. The sheer volume underscores the Pope’s symbolic presence in the lives of millions.

Despite the high-tech age, handwritten letters remain a powerful form of communication for those reaching out to the Holy Father. And for the Italian postal workers, ensuring those messages reach their destination remains a solemn, if routine, responsibility.

In a world of fleeting digital messages, the Vatican’s mailbags offer a daily reminder of the enduring value of the written word—and of the continued relevance of the papacy in hearts around the world.

Source : Rome Reports

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