GENAZZANO — Pope Leo XIV unveiled a fresco depicting him praying at the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano on Monday, September 7, 2026. The pontiff celebrated Mass with Augustinian brothers at the sanctuary after the unveiling ceremony.

The fresco is located on an upper cornice of the basilica. Past popes' visits to the sanctuary have been commemorated with portraits on its walls since Pope Urban VIII in 1630. The Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel is located in the medieval village of Genazzano, south of Rome.

Pope Leo XIV referred to his 2025 visit during his homily on September 7, 2026. He recalled writing in the sanctuary's guest book during that earlier trip. The Mass on September 7, 2026, commemorated the birth of Mary.

The image of the Madonna of Good Counsel at the Genazzano sanctuary is believed to have originated from Shkodër, Albania, and was miraculously transported there in 1467, according to local tradition. The Augustinian Order has maintained the sanctuary since the 14th century, and it has been central to their spiritual life and mission. The sanctuary is managed by Augustinian friars.

The sanctuary has special significance for the Augustinian religious order. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century. Pope Leo XIII elevated the sanctuary to the rank of minor basilica in the early 1900s. Pope Leo XIII expanded the adjacent convent in the early 1900s.

Why It Matters

The return of Pope Leo XIV to Genazzano reinforces the historical ties between the papacy and the Augustinian Order, which has maintained the site since the 14th century. The unveiling of the fresco places Leo XIV within a lineage of pontiffs whose visits have been recorded on the basilica walls since 1630, including Pope Urban VIII, Pope Pius IX, Pope John XXIII, and Pope John Paul II. The event shows the sanctuary's status as a minor basilica, a rank granted by Pope Leo XIII in the early 1900s, and its role as a center of Marian devotion dating back to the 15th century.

The visit reflects the personal spiritual significance of the site for Pope Leo XIV, who had frequented the shrine as a cardinal and made it his first destination as pope. By referencing his guest book entries from May 2025, the pope connected his current papal duties with his lifelong devotion to the Madonna of Good Counsel. The celebration of Mass on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary further aligned the papal visit with the liturgical calendar and the traditional veneration of the image believed to have arrived from Albania in 1467.

Timeline

On April 25, 2024, Pope Leo XIV, before becoming pope, had celebrated Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel on April 25, 2024, as a Cardinal, emphasizing his long-standing devotion to the shrine. Pope Leo XIV had previously visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel on 25 April 2024, during which he delivered a homily urging the faithful to look to Mary as an inspiration for spreading peace and reconciliation throughout the world. On May 10, 2025, Pope Leo XIV visited the sanctuary on May 10, 2025. The May 10, 2025 visit occurred two days after Pope Leo XIV's election and was his first outing as pope. Pope Leo XIV's May 10, 2025, visit to the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel was his first public outing as Pope, and he chose it as a private pilgrimage to seek guidance for his papacy. On that date, Pope Leo XIV wrote in the guest book that he felt the "need and profound desire" to come to the sanctuary after his election to pray before the Madonna of Good Counsel. He also wrote that the Madonna of Good Counsel "has accompanied me all my life with her maternal presence, with her wisdom and example of love for her son who is always the center of my faith." On September 7, 2026, Pope Leo XIV unveiled a fresco depicting him praying at the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that the Augustinian Order has maintained the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano since the 14th century, and it has been central to their spiritual life and mission. It was also noted that Pope Leo XIV will preside over Mass on September 7, on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Basilica in Genazzano.

During his 2025 visit to the sanctuary, Pope Leo XIV recited the prayer to the Mother of Good Counsel originally composed by Pope John Paul II, reflecting the continuity of devotion across papacies. Historical records show the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano has been visited by multiple popes since the 17th century, including Pope Urban VIII in 1630, Pope Pius IX in 1864, Pope John XXIII in 1959, and Pope John Paul II in 1993. Additionally, Pope Leo XIII elevated the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel to the rank of minor basilica in the early 1900s, recognizing its religious significance and devotion to the Virgin Mary.