While continuing his summer stay in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the headquarters of the Italian Carabinieri, offering a powerful reflection on fraternity, fidelity, and courage in the face of evil.
The Mass took place in the chapel of the Carabinieri headquarters located at the Villa dei Gesuiti, a property owned by the Holy See and leased to various occupants, including the Jesuits, local residents, and the Carabinieri—the national gendarmerie of Italy tasked with public order and security under the authority of the Italian Armed Forces.
According to Vatican News, Italy’s Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto and the General Commander of the Carabinieri, Salvatore Luongo, were present, alongside Archbishop Gian Franco Saba, Archbishop of Italy for the Military.
“We are all truly brothers and sisters of Jesus”
In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on the liturgical greeting of “brothers and sisters,” explaining that it represents more than custom—it expresses a spiritual reality rooted in love. “We are all truly brothers and sisters of Jesus when we do the will of God, that is, when we live by loving one another as God has loved us,” the Holy Father said, according to Vatican News.
He reminded the Carabinieri that each relationship becomes a gift in Christ, who sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in those who love. Drawing on the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he added, “God’s love is so great that Jesus does not keep even His mother for Himself, entrusting Mary as our mother at the hour of the cross.”
Honoring Mary as Virgo Fidelis
Pope Leo XIV also commemorated the 75th anniversary of the declaration of Virgo Fidelis—the Faithful Virgin—as the Patroness of the Carabinieri Corps. “In the wake of the Second World War,” the Pope noted, “the Carabinieri looked to Mary’s faithfulness as a model of every officer’s fidelity to the Italian people and nation.”
He praised the Carabinieri’s “noble and demanding service” in protecting the Italian people and the many pilgrims visiting Rome during the Jubilee Year.
In a stirring call to moral clarity, the Pope urged the officers: “In the face of injustices that wound the social order, do not yield to the temptation to think that evil can prevail. Especially in this time of wars and violence, remain faithful to your oath: as servants of the State, answer crime with the force of law and honesty.”
A Visit with the Poor Clares of Albano
Following the Mass, Pope Leo XIV visited the convent of the Poor Clares in nearby Albano, where he prayed with the cloistered nuns in their chapel and shared a moment of fraternity in the chapter hall.
According to Vatican Media, the Pope affirmed the value of the contemplative life, telling the sisters, “It is good that the Church knows your life,” which he described as “a precious testimony.” As a gesture of gratitude, he gifted them a chalice and paten before returning to Castel Gandolfo.
Through his words and actions, Pope Leo XIV continues to be a voice of encouragement and moral clarity, especially for those entrusted with the protection of the common good.
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