Pope Leo XIV Visits Borgo Laudato Sì in Castel Gandolfo

Vatican City, 31 May, 2025 - Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit on Thursday to the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he toured the Borgo Laudato Sì project, initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis.

The Borgo Laudato Sì (“Laudato Sì Village”), located on the grounds of the Papal Villas, serves as a space dedicated to formation and education on the theme of the Earth as our “common home”—an example of the “integral ecology” central to the encyclical from which it takes its name.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope was received by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Under Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Fr. Manuel Dorantes, project director of the Borgo Laudato Sì, which is set for inauguration soon.

After pausing in the Garden of the Virgin Mary, Pope Leo continued his visit through the Belvedere Gardens and stopped in the Cryptoporticus, the archaeological remains of Roman Emperor Domitian's audience hall.

He reflected on the "courageous actions of Pope Pius XII, who in 1944 sheltered over 12,000 people following the bombing of the Castelli Romani region during World War II,” according to the Press Office.

During the visit, Pope Leo XIV also toured the Apostolic Palace—transformed into a museum by Pope Francis in 2016—and the historic Villa Barberini, before returning to the Vatican.

Borgo Laudato Sì

With the publication of Laudato si’ ten years ago, Pope Francis highlighted the critical issue of caring for our common home. The natural spaces surrounding the Castel Gandolfo residence—including 20 hectares of farmland, greenhouses, and service buildings—were chosen as the ideal setting to give concrete form to the encyclical’s principles.

That vision was realised in 2023, when Pope Francis established the Borgo through two chirographs, aiming to make a tangible contribution “to the development of ecological education” under the Laudato Sì Centre for Higher Education, founded at the same time.

With support from experts in botany, biology, integral ecology, and related fields, the Borgo offers opportunities to explore the encyclical’s values and provides job training courses, including for gardeners and green space maintenance.

The Borgo Laudato Sì welcomes not only entrepreneurs and students but also marginalised individuals—migrants, women survivors of violence, people with disabilities, ex-prisoners, and those recovering from drug addiction—who are often excluded from educational opportunities.

Courtesy: Vatican News