Pope Leo XIV travels to a Marian shrine of Our Lady of Grace in a village within the Diocese of Palestrina, and holds a private meeting with the Resurrectionist religious dedicated to caring for the sanctuary.
By Kielce Gussie
ROME — On 19 August, Pope Leo XIV made a private visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace at Mentorella—in the village of Guadangolo, part of Capranica Prenestina in the Diocese of Palestrina.
After dedicating time to prayer, the Holy Father spent time with the Polish Resurrectionist religious who serve at the sanctuary before returning to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo.
Shrine of Our Lady of Grace
Mentorella is about 65 km (40 miles) southeast of Rome and sits on top of a mountain. It holds a special connection to several pontiffs: Pope John Paul II, just nine days after being elected pope, made a pilgrimage to the Shrine. Pope Benedict XVI also visited the sanctuary in 2005, and Pope Innocent XIII (1721-1724) had requested his heart to be buried there.
Tradition holds it was the place where St. Eustachius converted in the 2nd century. Two hundred years later, Emperor Constantine built a basilica on the spot where the saint converted, and it was consecrated by Pope Silvester I in the years before 335.
Two centuries later, in the 500s, the land was turned over to the monks of Subiaco. In the middle of the 13th century, a wooden image of the Blessed Virgin Mary—which is still found in the church today—was created.
After the Benedictines abandoned the area in the 14th century, Pope Pius IX placed the Congregation of the Resurrection in charge of the Shrine in 1857.
