Pope Leo praises San Marino as model of freedom and common good

Vatican City's Pope Leo XIV is set to visit the world's oldest republic, San Marino, on Saturday. This picturesque enclave situated within the Apennine Mountains, spanning 60 square kilometers and home to 33,000 inhabitants, will be the pope's latest brief pastoral visit this summer.

Following his meeting with local authorities in San Marino, the pontiff will proceed to Rimini, a renowned seaside city along Italy's Adriatic coast. There, he will address the annual Communion and Liberation gathering, a significant event blending religion, culture, and politics that typically attracts thousands of visitors each summer.

Pope Leo XIV, who will deliver an address at 4pm, will be the first pope to participate in this event since Pope John Paul II back in 1982. Prominent speakers at this year's gathering include Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from Jerusalem and both Italy's deputy prime ministers, Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini.

The pope's itinerary includes a visit to an exhibition dedicated to Saint Augustine, a pivotal figure in Christian theology from the 5th century. He will also meet individuals with disabilities and the sick at Rimini's cathedral before leading an open-air mass at the city's port in the early evening. Leo has kept his travel plans local this summer, visiting Pavia, Lampedusa, and Assisi for short stops.