Pope Leo XIV prays at tomb of Pope Francis

The Pope visited the Basilica of St Mary Major on May 10, where he paused in prayer before the tomb of Pope Francis and the icon of the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani. He had prayed there as a cardinal a few days earlier after the late Pope’s tomb was opened to the public.

Earlier on May 10, Pope Leo visited the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, just outside Rome, which has been run by the Augustinians since 1200AD.

While there, he said he “greatly desired to come here in these first days of my new ministry . . . that the Church has entrusted to me”.

The shrine is home to an ancient image of the Virgin Mary, which comes from Shkodër (Albania) and was much loved by Pope Leo XIII.

Pope Leo XIV arrived in a Volkswagen multivan, seated in the front. He was greeted by a cheering crowd of hundreds of people gathered in the square and looking out of windows and balconies. Entering the church, where he greeted the Augustinian religious, the Pope stopped to pray, first in front of the altar and then in front of the image of the Virgin.

Along with those present, he recited Pope St John Paul II’s prayer to the Mother of Good Counsel. At the end, after saying a Hail Mary and singing the Salve Regina, the Pope addressed those who were in the church, greeting them and the people of Genazzano gathered outside.

He recalled the visit to the shrine after his election as Prior General of the Order of St Augustine, and his choice to “offer his life to the Church”.

Pope Leo XIV reiterated his “trust in the Mother of Good Counsel”, quoting the words addressed by Mary to the servants at the wedding at Cana: “Whatever he tells you, do it.”

FULL STORY

Pope Leo XIV prays at tomb of late Pope Francis at St. Mary Major (By Deborah Castellano Lubov/Vatican News)

Pope Leo leaves Vatican to visit Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel (CNS)