Pope Leo XIV will make history tonight, Saturday, August 29, as the first Pope to travel by boat during the Feast of Our Lady of the Lake in Castel Gandolfo. The historic voyage across Lake Albano marks a unique milestone for the waters that have served as the traditional summer backdrop for the Papacy over the past four centuries.
The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with the Holy Father presiding over Mass at the Church of Maria Santissima del Lago. Consecrated on August 15, 1977, by Pope Saint Paul VI, the church belongs to the Pontifical Parish of Saint Thomas of Villanova. Following the liturgy, Pope Leo XIV and the congregation will lead a land procession carrying the statue of Our Lady of the Lake to the shoreline at the “Tropicana” beach resort.
Upon reaching the shore, the statue will be boarded onto a vessel provided by the Castelli Romani Regional Park Authority, accompanied by the Pope himself. The boat will cross the lake toward “Giorgio’s Beach” beneath the Apostolic Palace, escorted by a flotilla of roughly ten civilian vessels—including canoes—alongside law enforcement escort boats.
While past pontiffs have taken part in this tradition—including Pope Saint Paul VI and Pope Saint John Paul II, who visited the church in 1979—none have ever joined the aquatic leg of the procession. Originating during the Marian Year of 1954 under parish priest Father Dino Sella to engage local lake workers, the celebration remains a beloved annual tradition for the Castel Gandolfo community.
The initiative to invite Pope Leo XIV was spearheaded a year ago by local parish priest Father Tadeusz Rozmus, reflecting a strong desire from residents. Local authorities, diocesan officials, and regional park personnel collaborated closely to organize the historic event, expressing deep gratitude to the Pope for sharing in this intimate local parish tradition.