Pope Leo XIV returned on Monday, September 7, 2026, to a sanctuary where he prayed immediately after his election, revealing a permanent symbol of his devotion: a new fresco depicting him in prayer that now adorns an upper cornice of the basilica, with the event reported at 2:53 PM EDT.
The Pope unveiled the portrait before celebrating Mass with his fellow Augustinian brothers at the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel, located in the medieval village of Genazzano, south of Rome. With this gesture, Leo joins a historical line of past pontiffs whose visits to the sanctuary were commemorated with portraits on its walls, a tradition dating back to Pope Urban VIII in 1630.
The sanctuary holds deep personal meaning for the Pope, formerly known as Robert Prevost. He had visited the site many times before his election due to its special significance to the Augustinian religious order. His first visit as pontiff occurred on May 10, 2025, just two days after his election, marking his first public outing.
Managed by Augustinian friars, the sanctuary has been a destination for pilgrims since the 15th century. In the early 1900s, Pope Leo XIII, the current Pope's namesake, elevated the site to a minor basilica and expanded its adjacent convent.
During his homily on Monday, which commemorated the birth of Mary, Leo recalled his 2025 pilgrimage and shared what he had written in the sanctuary's guest book at the time. The newly elected Pope wrote that he felt a "need and profound desire" to pray before the Madonna of Good Counsel, "who has accompanied me all my life with her maternal presence, with her wisdom and example of love for her son who is always the center of my faith."
The visit comes as the Vatican prepares to ramp up its schedule following the end of the summer lull. With busy autumn conferences and audiences taking shape, Leo is preparing for a trip to France at the end of September, followed by a highly anticipated journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in November.
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