Overview

• Leo XIV's decision breaks with Pope Francis’s choice to remain in Vatican City, reviving a summer retreat tradition not followed by his predecessor.
• The July retreat will include public Mass and Angelus blessings on July 13 and 20, offering faithful gatherings at the lakeside venue.
• After his July break, Leo will return to Castel Gandolfo from August 15-17 to mark the Catholic feast of the Assumption.
• The 55-hectare estate, owned by the Holy See since 1596, features Renaissance gardens, a forest and an operational dairy farm, though the pope will reside off-site.
• The Vatican has suspended all public and private audiences from July 2 to 23, with engagements set to resume on July 30.