Pope Leo XIV visited Castel Gandolfo on Thursday, touring the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecological project, an initiative launched under his predecessor, Pope Francis. The papal summer residence, long a retreat for pontiffs seeking respite from Rome’s intense heat, was repurposed by Francis into a museum and sustainability hub.
Newsroom (May 30, 2025, 07:45, Gaudium Press) According to a Vatican statement, Pope Leo was greeted by Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, and American Father Manuel Dorantes, Operations Director for the ecological project. Borgo Laudato Si’ honors Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on environmental stewardship, promoting education in integral ecology and sustainable practices.
During his visit, the pope explored the Garden of the Virgin Mary and the Belvedere Gardens before inspecting the Borgo Laudato Si’ project itself. Established in February 2023, the initiative seeks to unite environmental care with human dignity, embodying the principles of Francis’ encyclical.
Pope Leo also stopped at the Cryptoporticus, the archaeological remains of Emperor Domitian’s audience hall, recalling Pope Pius XII’s humanitarian gesture in 1944 when he sheltered over 12,000 refugees fleeing wartime bombardments in the Castelli Romani region. The visit concluded with a stop at the Papal Palace and Villa Barberini before Leo returned to the Vatican by early afternoon.
The Borgo Laudato Si’ project, as outlined on its website, serves as a training ground for integral ecology, open to all. Pope Francis envisioned it as a practical application of Laudato Si’, focusing on three key areas: ecological education, circular economy, and environmental sustainability.
Borgo Laudato Si’ project
Spanning 135 acres—86 of gardens and 49 of farmland—the site includes greenhouses and service buildings preserved under the project’s mission. Efforts are underway to modernize traditional agricultural practices at the historic papal farms, which have long produced yogurt, milk, eggs, honey, and flowers for the Vatican.
The initiative employs a circular economy model, emphasizing resource-sharing, recycling, and renewable energy. Biodiversity protection and fostering harmony between humanity and nature are central goals. Additionally, the project offers job training, educational programs, and cultural events to deepen ecological awareness.
In his May 25 Regina Coeli address, Pope Leo XIV marked the upcoming 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, praising its global influence in inspiring environmental and social justice efforts. On social media, he reiterated the encyclical’s call to “renew the dialogue on our planet’s future,” urging sustainable development to safeguard “the common home entrusted to us by God.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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