Pope Leo XIV is bringing back the best of papal tradition.
After more than a decade of abandonment, the Holy Father is restoring time-honored customs that connect the Church to its rich history.
And Pope Leo XIV just restored one 400-year tradition that has Italian townspeople celebrating in the streets.
Pope Leo XIV revives papal summer tradition at Castel Gandolfo
The hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo is buzzing with excitement for the first time in over a decade.
Pope Leo XIV saw 12 years of abandoned papal tradition and decided to restore what Francis had left behind.¹
Benedict XVI understood the importance of this retreat.
The German pontiff made regular use of the lakeside residence throughout his papacy from 2005 to 2013.
Francis took a different approach entirely, staying in Rome for his entire 12-year reign while the historic residence sat empty.
But Pope Leo XIV is different.
He understands the importance of maintaining the Church’s ancient customs and connecting with the faithful in traditional ways.
The new pontiff arrived at Castel Gandolfo on July 6 and extended his originally planned two-week stay by two additional days, remaining until July 22.
400 years of papal history restored
This isn’t just any summer vacation spot – Castel Gandolfo represents four centuries of unbroken papal tradition.
The custom began in 1626 when Pope Urban VIII first chose the lakeside retreat as his summer residence, drawn to its stunning views of Lake Albano and the surrounding mountains.¹
Urban VIII considered Castel Gandolfo "the healthiest area in the region" and would take long walks and horseback rides through the wooded grounds.
Over the centuries, pope after pope adapted and expanded the residence, making it their own while maintaining the essential character of this sacred retreat.
The Vatican property spans 135 acres and includes a papal palace, extensive gardens and farmland, plus fruit and olive orchards.¹
It’s also home to the Vatican Observatory, where Pope Paul VI famously peered through telescopes to watch the Apollo II moon landing in 1969.
Part of the grounds has even been converted into an ecological area called "Borgo Laudato Si’," inspired by Pope Francis’s environmental encyclical – though Francis himself never bothered to actually visit the place during his papacy.
Italian townspeople welcome their papal neighbor
The people of Castel Gandolfo couldn’t be happier about Pope Leo XIV’s decision to restore this beloved tradition.
When the pontiff arrived on July 6, locals "filled the main square craning to get a good view of their new summer neighbor."¹
You can’t blame them for their enthusiasm.
For 12 long years, the town’s most distinguished seasonal resident was absent, leaving the papal apartments to function merely as a museum.
Now the residence is alive again with papal activity.
Pope Leo XIV has celebrated Mass on the grounds, delivered the Angelus prayer to gathered crowds, and participated in tree-planting ceremonies with Italian officials.
Instead of staying in the main Apostolic Palace, the pope chose to reside in a renovated apartment in the Villa Barberini section, showing his preference for simpler accommodations while still honoring the tradition.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will return to Castel Gandolfo again from August 15-17, giving the townspeople another chance to welcome their papal visitor.
A pope who understands tradition matters
Pope Leo XIV’s decision to restore the Castel Gandolfo tradition sends a clear message about his papacy.
Unlike his predecessor who seemed more interested in making statements by breaking with tradition, Pope Leo XIV recognizes that some customs exist for good reasons.
This goes beyond a simple papal retreat.
It’s about preserving the Church’s historical continuity when so much else seems to be shifting beneath our feet.
For 400 years, Catholics could count on their pope spending time in prayerful reflection at this sacred retreat above Lake Albano.
Pope Francis disrupted that tradition for over a decade, but Pope Leo XIV is setting things right again.
The enthusiastic welcome from the people of Castel Gandolfo proves that this restoration of tradition is exactly what was needed.
When a pope respects the customs passed down through generations of pontiffs, it demonstrates reverence for the office itself and the unbroken chain of apostolic succession.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth from July 28 through August 3, but his commitment to returning to Castel Gandolfo in mid-August shows this isn’t just a one-time gesture.
This pope understands that tradition and innovation can coexist – and sometimes the most revolutionary thing a leader can do is restore what should never have been abandoned in the first place.
¹ Kielce Gussie, "Castel Gandolfo: The go-to summer vacation spot for popes for 400 years," Vatican News, July 21, 2025.
