Pope Leo XIV made a private pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Mentorella, a historic sanctuary nestled in the village of Guadagnolo, within the Diocese of Palestrina
Newsroom (19/08/2025, Gaudium Press) On August 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV made a private pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Mentorella, a historic sanctuary nestled in the village of Guadagnolo, within the Diocese of Palestrina, approximately 65 kilometers southeast of Rome. The Holy Father dedicated time to prayer at the mountaintop shrine before meeting privately with the Polish Resurrectionist religious entrusted with its care. He later returned to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.
A Shrine Steeped in History
The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace holds profound significance for the Catholic Church. Tradition traces its origins to the 2nd-century conversion of St. Eustachius at this site. In the 4th century, Emperor Constantine commissioned a basilica, consecrated by Pope Silvester I before 335. The sanctuary passed to the monks of Subiaco in the 6th century, and in the 13th century, a wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary—still venerated today—was crafted. After the Benedictines left in the 14th century, Pope Pius IX entrusted the shrine to the Congregation of the Resurrection in 1857.
The site has drawn pontiffs across centuries. Pope Innocent XIII (1721–1724) requested his heart be buried there. More recently, St. John Paul II visited just nine days after his election in 1978, and Pope Benedict XVI made a pilgrimage in 2005.
Pope Leo XIV’s Response to a Mother’s Faith
In the latest issue of Piazza San Pietro, the monthly magazine of the Basilica of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV addressed a heartfelt letter from Laura, a wife and mother grappling with doubts about her faith. Laura described her love for her husband and three daughters, raised in the Christian faith, but questioned whether her convictions lacked solidity despite feeling “stronger than ever.”
In his response, published on August 18, the Pope encouraged Laura to name her challenges openly and to draw strength from the Virgin Mary. “Your enthusiasm for the faith and the truth of your heart are a blessing for you and your family,” he wrote. “If your point of reference is Mary, you will be able to face every uncertainty. […] Sharing projects of Christian love is fundamental for spiritual progress and for cooperating with the grace and the will of God.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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