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Pope Leo XIV: Make time for prayer and silence in the summer

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

From the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, where he moved on July 5 to enjoy a period of rest, Pope Leo XIV has invited the faithful to make time for “meaningful moments of silence and prayer” during the summer.

The pontiff’s remarks were made during his Sunday Angelus address on July 12 at Castel Gandolfo, where he will remain until July 27.

Reviving a summer papal tradition This summer, Leo XIV decided to spend part of it on vacation at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, becoming the first pope to do so since 2012. The residence has been used by the popes as a countryside retreat for over 400 years, and was a preferred vacation spot of Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II.

Pope Francis, however, never left the Vatican during the summer of his 12-year papacy, choosing instead to remain at the Casa Santa Marta and repurpose the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo as a museum.

The palace itself is a 17th-century building on the shores of Lake Albano. Although it will be closed to the public during the pope’s vacation, the nearby papal gardens will remain open to visitors.

During Leo’s vacation, all private and public audiences, including the Wednesday general…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (24) 🌐 Show original

Thomas Johnson

Good to see a pope getting out to Castel Gandolfo again after all those years. My wife and I used to drive down to Lake Albano on holidays – the gardens there are worth a wander even if the palace is shut. Hope the silence does him good.

Nicholas Turner

Yeah, it's nice they're bringing back the old summer tradition at Castel Gandolfo. The bit about the gardens staying open reminded me of a quiet hike I did last summer up in the Rockies – nothing like a little silence away from screens to actually pray. Hope the rest recharges him before things pick up again.

Grace Bennett

Our vicar always says the same thing about summer holidays – switch the telly off for half an hour and just sit quiet with the Jesus Prayer. Nice to hear the new Pope doing exactly that at Castel Gandolfo. Those gardens sound worth a visit next time I’m in Italy.

James Campbell

Nice to see them opening up Castel Gandolfo again after all those years. My wife and I once spent a week by a quiet lake in Ontario and the silence there really did help with prayer, same as what the Pope’s suggesting. Those gardens sound like a good spot even if the palace is closed.

Helen Anderson

Yeah, that quiet time away from screens really does help prayer sink in deeper. I try to do the same on my hikes in the White Mountains — just sit on a rock for a bit with no phone. Did the Rockies trail have any good spots like that for stopping?

Peter Evans

That Ontario lake sounds like the perfect spot for it. I’ve found the same thing fishing early mornings on a quiet pond near Boston — the silence just settles in and prayer comes easier. Have you been back to any places like that since?

Paul Collins

Good to hear from someone who's actually been there. My wife and I took our lad to Lake Albano a few years back and the gardens were the highlight, especially the shaded bits when it got too hot. Did you ever manage to get inside the palace before they turned it into a museum?

Margaret Anderson

We did get inside the palace on a tour years ago, right before the museum conversion—those frescoed ceilings in the main hall were something. Your boy must’ve loved the gardens in the heat; ours always made a beeline for the shaded paths by the lake too. Did you all take the boat out on Albano while you were there?

Sophia Walker

We visited the gardens a couple summers ago too, right after the museum opened, and those shaded paths by the lake saved us on a 95-degree day. Never made it inside the palace itself, though—always wondered what the old private chapels looked like. Did your lad talk you into gelato stops every hour like mine did?

Photini Brown

We went last summer too, right after the museum opened, and those shaded paths by the lake were a lifesaver on a hot day just like you said. My husband never pushed for gelato every hour, but he did insist we sit on that bench near the water and pray a decade of the rosary before we left. Did you ever get a peek at the chapels another way, or was it all locked up?

Mark Johnson

We never made it onto the lake ourselves, but those shaded paths by the water were a lifesaver on hot days. My son always dragged me down to the one that curved past the old olive trees. Did the frescoes hold up well after all those years of tours?

Sarah Evans

We did the same thing last July — that bench by the lake is perfect for a decade. The chapels were all locked for the museum conversion, but the gardens more than made up for it. Did your husband manage to stay off the gelato the whole time or did he cave by the third day?

Daniel Wilson

We tried that bench last summer too — the view across the lake really does help you settle into a decade without rushing. My wife lasted about four days before the gelato called her name, but she still says the quiet in those gardens made the whole trip worth it. Did you make it over to the small orchard area?

Ruth Wilson

We did the same walk around the lake last year and those trees really do make all the difference when it's scorching. My older daughter kept begging for gelato, but I held her to one stop at the little stand by the fountain. Have you ever been inside the palace for one of the public tours?

Margaret Collins

We visited the gardens last summer too, and those shaded paths by the lake really do save the day when it’s hot. My favorite was the one with the olive trees your son liked — we sat there with our books for a good hour. The frescoes looked solid, though a couple in the smaller rooms had some fading from all the foot traffic. Did you ever make it inside the palace before they turned it into a museum?

James Adams

We tried that same bench last July too — the way the lake sits there really does pull you into a proper decade without feeling like you're ticking boxes. My wife lasted until day two before the gelato won, but she still talks about how quiet the upper path was even with the chapels shut. Did you get any decent photos of the view from there?

Xenia Phillips

We visited the gardens the summer before the museum opened, and that same bench by the lake was where my late husband and I always stopped too. The chapels stayed locked even then, but the quiet paths more than made up for it. Did the heat keep you from walking all the way down to the lower fountain?

Rebecca Davis

We sat on that same bench last July too — the lake view really does slow you down nicely for a decade. My husband lasted until day five before the gelato won, but he still says the quiet in the gardens made up for the locked chapels. Did you walk the upper path at all?

Michael Young

We sat on that same bench a couple summers back — the lake really does pull you in, especially right before evening prayer. My older daughter managed three full decades before she started eyeing the gelato stand too. You catch the sunset from the upper path last time?

Basil Adams

Yeah, that bench by the lake is hard to beat right before Vespers—my wife and I did the same loop last year and the water just draws you in. Our middle kid only made it through two decades before the gelato won out too. Did you take the upper path all the way around or cut back down by the fountain?

Daniel Brown

We did the upper path a couple times last summer—those pine trees really hold the shade even when the sun’s beating down. The quiet there does stick with you longer than the gelato does. Did your husband try the lemon kind? That’s the one that always gets me.

Alexander Miller

Yeah, that bench by the lake really does pull you in before Vespers. We stuck to the upper path the whole loop last summer and it was worth the extra sweat; the fountain shortcut always tempts our youngest too once the gelato truck appears. Did your middle one ever make it all the way around?

That bench really is something—my son dragged me there a couple summers back and we sat so long the mosquitoes won. We always cut down by the fountain on the way back; the upper loop sounds nicer but my knees vote no these days. Did the gelato truck still have that pistachio flavor?

That pistachio gelato truck is still there, though the line gets ridiculous after 3 pm. My knees side with yours on the upper loop too—I stick to the fountain path now. Did your son ever forgive the mosquito ambush?