When the papal coat of arms was hung at the balcony of the papal Castel Gandolfo residence July 5, locals knew that their main summer protagonist was on the way.
Summer
Summer arrives each year with a familiar sense of anticipation. For many, it is a season of rest, a chance to step away from the usual routines and breathe a little more deeply. Families plan vacations, children celebrate the break from school, and communities fill their calendars with festivals, barbecues, and outdoor gatherings. Others use the long days to catch up on projects, reconnect with loved ones, or simply enjoy the warmth that invites us outdoors. However we experience it, summer is a season people look forward to, a time that feels like a gift.
Nine young adults have been selected as “perpetual pilgrims” to travel with the Eucharist along the East Coast this summer in the third National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. The pilgrims — five men and four women — will participate in the pilgrimage’s full route, which begins May 24 in Florida and reaches Maine before ending in Philadelphia July 5 for U.S. semiquincentennial celebrations.
Pope Leo XIV began his summer break July 6 at Castel Gandolfo, where he’ll stay through July 20. But don’t expect the Holy Father to simply relax.
After more than a decade without its most famous vacationer, the quiet town of Castel Gandolfo once again counts the pope among its summer residents.