In a meaningful sign of pastoral closeness, Pope Leo XIV will make his first parish visit as Bishop of Rome to Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido on Sunday, February 15.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father will arrive at 4:00 p.m. at the seaside parish in southwest Rome, which is entrusted to the Pallottine Fathers (Society of the Catholic Apostolate). His visit will begin with an encounter with approximately 400 children and young people from the parish catechetical program. They will welcome him in the courtyard behind the church.
He will then greet another 400 members of the community gathered in the parish gymnasium, including “the elderly, the sick, the poor, and volunteers from Caritas,” according to Vatican News. The presence of the Church’s charitable workers highlights the parish’s commitment to serving those most in need.
The pastoral visit will culminate at 5:00 p.m. with the celebration of Holy Mass, which the Pope will preside over. Concelebrating will be Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina, Bishop Renato Tarantelli Baccari — Vice-Regent of the Diocese of Rome — and parish priest Father Giovanni Vincenzo Patanè, along with other clergy from the Ostia area.
A Lenten Message from Sister Catherine – Please Watch
The choice of parish carries deep symbolic meaning. Dedicated to Mary under the title Queen of Peace, the church reflects Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on what he has called “an unarmed and disarming peace” since the beginning of his pontificate, according to Vatican News. Father Patanè also pointed to Ostia’s special spiritual identity. Though part of the Diocese of Rome, the area has its own patron, Saint Augustine — a figure of particular importance to the Pope, who is himself an Augustinian.
Excitement has spread throughout the parish in anticipation of the Holy Father’s arrival. Tickets for the Mass were distributed by lottery to ensure fairness, and preparations have brought the community together in joyful expectation. Father Patanè even remarked, with humor, that the visit has offered “a welcome reason to tidy up and make improvements,” according to Vatican News.
Above all, the parish sees the visit as a personal gesture from their bishop. As Father Patanè said, “He is the Pope, but for us he is first and foremost our bishop, the shepherd who comes to visit his Church,” according to Vatican News.
For the faithful of Ostia, February 15 will not simply mark a papal appearance; it will be a moment of grace, renewal, and communion with the successor of Peter who comes to strengthen his flock.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
