‘Let Summer Draw You Closer to God,’ Pope Leo XIV Urges During Angelus Address
Pope Leo XIV has encouraged Christians around the world to use the summer season as an opportunity to deepen their relationship with God through prayer, quiet reflection and meditation on Scripture.
Speaking during the Angelus on July 12 from the Apostolic Palace at Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending a period of rest, the pontiff urged the faithful not to allow holidays to become only a time for recreation but also for spiritual renewal.
The pope, who arrived at the historic papal residence on July 5, is expected to remain there until July 27. His stay marks the revival of a long-standing papal summer tradition, making him the first pope since 2012 to spend part of the summer at Castel Gandolfo.
For more than four centuries, the lakeside residence overlooking Lake Albano served as the traditional summer retreat for popes, including Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II.
During his pontificate, however, Pope Francis chose to remain at the Vatican each summer and converted the residence into a museum open to visitors.
While Pope Leo is on vacation, his regular public engagements, including the Wednesday General Audience, have been suspended.
The Sunday Angelus remains his principal public appearance during the break, apart from a recent luncheon he shared with people experiencing poverty in the papal gardens.
Reflecting on the Gospel’s Parable of the Sower, Pope Leo said God’s word is continually offered to humanity with generosity and hope, even though people receive it in different ways.
He explained that Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is the seed sown by the Father throughout the world, bringing abundant fruit through His sacrifice for humanity.
The pope acknowledged that people’s hearts can sometimes resemble the hardened path, rocky ground or thorn-filled soil described in the parable.
Yet he said there are also moments when hearts become open and receptive, allowing God’s love to transform lives in remarkable ways.
He reminded worshippers that God’s mercy is greater than human weakness and that the Lord never stops believing in His people despite their shortcomings.
Encouraging Christians to make the most of the holiday season, Pope Leo urged them to dedicate time to reading the Bible, listening to God’s voice and embracing moments of silence alongside their rest and recreation.
After the Angelus prayer, the pontiff turned his attention to ongoing global conflicts, expressing deep concern over renewed violence in the Middle East, Ukraine and other troubled regions.
He appealed to political leaders to abandon further escalation and instead pursue dialogue and diplomacy as the path toward lasting peace.
Marking Sea Sunday, Pope Leo also paid tribute to seafarers, fishermen and port workers, thanking them for their dedication despite the hardships, long periods away from their families and the dangers they often face while carrying out their work.
