At the Genazzano shrine on Sept. 7, Pope Leo said believers should “allow peace to grow within us” so it can “blossom in the world” during a Mass for Our Lady of Good Counsel.
In his homily for the Vigil of Mary’s birth, he cast Mary’s quiet, largely silent presence in the Gospels as a model of how God works through humility, service and care rather than force.
The Pope said that inward, contemplative vision is especially needed in “times of destruction and uncertainty” to recognize God’s work and serve it.
A new painting unveiled at the shrine depicts Leo praying before Our Lady of Good Counsel during his May 10, 2025 visit, two days after his election, underscoring his long Augustinian bond with the sanctuary.