Pope Leo XIV will mark the first anniversary of his election with a tightly scheduled pastoral visit to Pompeii and Naples on May 8, 2026, beginning with a 8:50 a.m. Arrival at the Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii and concluding with a 6:45 p.m. Departure for the Vatican after a helicopter transfer to Naples and a series of liturgical and devotional events.
The Pope will honor Saint Bartolo Longo, whose own past includes a period of occult interest before founding the Pompeii shrine
At 10 a.m., Pope Leo XIV will pay homage to Saint Bartolo Longo by visiting the chapel dedicated to the Shrine’s founder and pausing in prayer before his mortal remains, following a meeting with representatives of the shrine’s charitable initiatives at 8:55 a.m. In the Luisa Trapani Hall. The Pope will then celebrate Mass at 10:30 a.m. In Piazza Bartolo Longo, a plaza named after the saint he canonized in October 2025, whose promotion of Marian devotion helped establish the shrine as a major pilgrimage site. Aleteia.org notes that Saint Bartolo Longo’s history includes a documented interest in satanism before his conversion, a detail that adds complexity to his legacy as a foundational figure in the shrine’s spiritual life.
In Naples, the focus shifts to the enduring devotion to Saint Januarius and the liquefaction of his blood
After lunch in Pompeii, the Pope will depart by helicopter at 3 p.m., arriving in Naples at 3:15 p.m. To be welcomed by Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, Archbishop of Naples, and civil authorities before proceeding to the Cathedral. There, he will meet clergy and members of consecrated life, with children gathering in the forecourt to welcome him, then enter the Royal Chapel of the Treasury of Saint Januarius for private adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He will process to the high altar where the bust and reliquary containing the ampoules of Saint Januarius’ blood will be displayed, recite a prayer, and deliver an address, continuing a tradition tied to the saint’s reputed miracle of blood liquefying three times a year, including on the anniversary of Mount Vesuvius’ eruption.
For more on this story, see Pope Leo XIV Visits Ngul Zamba Orphanage in Cameroon.
The day’s events culminate in an Act of Entrustment to the Virgin Mary marking the bicentenary of her coronation
The final event of the Pope’s visit will be an Act of Entrustment to the Virgin Mary, during which a beloved image of the Immaculate Conception will be brought into the square in Naples, commemorating the 200th anniversary of her coronation. This act follows the traditional noon supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii, which the Pope will participate in after Mass in Pompeii, reinforcing the Marian character of the day’s observances. The Pope will depart for the Vatican at 6:45 p.m., completing a visit structured around prayer, pastoral engagement, and the veneration of two saints whose lives reflect contrasting paths to holiness.
Why is the Pope visiting Pompeii and Naples on the anniversary of his election?
The visit marks the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election, continuing a tradition of papal pilgrimages to significant Italian religious sites, with Pompeii and Naples chosen for their deep Marian and sanctoral significance tied to the Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary and the relics of Saint Januarius.
This follows our earlier report, Pope Leo XIV Begins Historic Africa Tour with Visit to Algeria.
What is the significance of the supplication to the Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii?
The traditional supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii occurs twice yearly, in May and November, and is rooted in a prayer composed by Saint Bartolo Longo, whom the Pope canonized in October 2025, making this year’s observance the first led by him as pope since the saint’s canonization.
How does the Pope’s schedule reflect the distinct spiritual focuses of Pompeii and Naples?
In Pompeii, the emphasis is on Marian devotion, Eucharistic adoration, and honoring the shrine’s founder through Mass and the supplication, while in Naples, the focus shifts to the veneration of Saint Januarius, including private prayer before his relics and a public address, highlighting the complementary themes of Mary and the martyr-saint in the day’s itinerary.
