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Pope Leo XIV is spending his summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, hoping to find rest after a demanding start to his pontificate and to begin writing his first encyclical.
According to Father Alejandro Moral, general prior of the Augustinian order and one of the Pope’s closest friends, the Holy Father is using the quieter setting of Villa Barberini to focus on the work that demands uninterrupted attention.
“Public commitments have been reduced to a minimum,” Fr. Moral explained in a July 6 interview with Il Messaggero. “He will recite the Angelus and celebrate Sunday Mass in nearby parishes. At Villa Barberini, I know he will begin work on his first encyclical.”
Pope Leo arrived at Castel Gandolfo July 6 and is expected to stay through July 20, with public appearances limited to Sunday Mass and Angelus prayers July 13 and July 20. He will briefly return again from Aug. 15 to 17 for the Feast of the Assumption, before resuming regular audiences in Rome later that month.
While the encyclical’s title has not been confirmed, Pope Leo told Fr. Moral that he plans to use these two weeks to develop its main structure.
“Obviously, he is already working on it, but he is forced to do it in the evening or in spare moments and would need more time, which will happen during the vacation,” Fr. Moral said.
He speculated the themes could reflect concepts Pope Leo emphasized since the earliest hours of his papacy — peace, social doctrine, unity, and artificial intelligence.
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Pope Leo is staying at Villa Barberini rather than the historic Apostolic Palace, which has since become a museum. Fr. Moral said the setting offers the space Pope Leo needs to prepare for a busy fall, including Jubilee preparations, new appointments, and the completion of the encyclical.
“The appointments will come after the summer,” Fr. Moral said. “This break will certainly help him weigh everything.”
Pope Leo is also expected to enjoy brief moments of leisure, according to Fr. Moral. A tennis player, the Pope has not entirely given up the sport since his election, and Fr. Moral suspects he may take advantage of the quiet retreat to play a bit while at Castel Gandolfo.
Before his election, Pope Leo served two terms as prior general of the Augustinian order. When he stepped down, he was honored with a standing ovation that lasted more than 10 minutes, Fr. Moral told Il Messaggero.
“He governed us for a long time with righteousness, judgment, loyalty, and transparency,” Fr. Moral said. “A person of rare balance.”
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