STORY: Pope Leo on Saturday (August 29) was the first pope in history to take part in the traditional Feast of Our Lady of the Lake procession across Lake Albano by boat.

The lake is situated in front of the papal summer residence in Italy’s town Castel Gandolfo, 25km southeast of Rome. The palace where popes for the past 400 years since 1626 have been staying over the hottest periods of the year has been Pope Leo’s summer residence too for most of this year’s month of July.

After a mass in the Church of Maria Santissima del Lago, the pontiff joined the procession led by a Marian statue, and then embarked the same boat with the statue.

He decried that "hatred and violence bring no good, but only destruction and death" and added that that is the case "even when they are a response to prior injustices. We see this every day, from the small matters of our domestic lives to the wider world stage." For this reason, he asked "those who hold positions of responsibility in public life" to "always promote justice, freedom, the dignity of every person and the common good."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: CASTEL GANDOLFO, ITALY (AUGUST 29, 2026) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. POPE LEO GETTING OUT OF CAR AT CASTEL GANDOLFO

2. CHURCH OF MARIA SANTISSIMA DEL LAGO IN BETWEEN TREES

3. POPE LEO BLESSING STATUE OF MARY AND JESUS

4. POPE WALKING TO ALTAR IN CHURCH

5. CROWD WAITING FOR MASS TO BEGIN, WITH CASTEL GANDOLFO’S MAYOR, ALBERTO DE ANGELIS, ON THE RIGHT

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF CROWD LISTENING)

"Let us not delude ourselves. Hatred and violence bring no good, but only destruction and death, always, even when they are a response to prior injustices. We see this every day, from the small matters of our domestic lives to the wider world stage. All of this confirms what Jesus has taught us."

7. PEOPLE SINGING AND PRAYING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"Dear brothers and sisters, we are in such great need of life, of hope, of serenity, of peace within ourselves, in our cities, amongst peoples and nations. For this reason, whatever the wound, whatever the offence, let us not allow evil to disfigure our humanity or corrupt our hearts. Let us not conform to the mindset of the world. Let us continue to love, to give, and to forgive."

9. PEOPLE PRAYING

10. MARY'S STATUE BEING CARRIED AT BEGIN OF PROCESSION WITH POPE WALKING BEHIND IT

11. CROWD ON STREETS OF CASTEL GANDOLFO WAITING FOR PROCESSION TO PASS BY

12. PROCESSION IN PROGRESS

13. STATUE BEING CARRIED WITH POPE WALKING BEHIND IT

14. LAKE ALBANO WITH BOATS FOR PROCESSION

15. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO EMBARKING ON BOAT

16. POPE SITTING ON BOAT IN FRONT OF STATUE AS IT LEAVES SHORE

17. BOAT CROSSING LAKE

18. POPE SITTING ON BOAT IN FRONT OF STATUE

19. BOAT RETURNING TO SHORE AND POPE DISEMBARKING

20. POPE STEPPING ONTO PLATFORM TO GREET CROWD AT SHORE

21. POPE WAVING TO CROWD

22. STATUE BEING CARRIED TO POPE

23. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"Look kindly upon your children wounded by war and inspire in everyone a desire for peace. Where hatred grows, teach us forgiveness. Where fear prevails, restore hope. Cast your caring gaze upon children, the elderly, the sick, families, young people and those who live in solitude. Support those who hold positions of responsibility in public life, so that they may always promote justice, freedom, the dignity of every person and the common good."

24. POPE WAVING TO CHEERING CROWD

25. POPE WALKING PAST CROWD AND GREETING THEM

26. EVENING LIGHT AT LAKE ALBANO