Pope Leo unveils new fresco at sanctuary where he prayed after his election

Pope Leo XIV unveiled a fresco at the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel on Monday, the site where he prayed shortly after his election. The portrait, now displayed on the basilica's upper cornice, commemorates his devotion to the sanctuary. This is the latest in a series of such portraits, dating back to Pope Urban VIII in 1630.

Pope Leo visited the sanctuary on May 10, 2025, just two days after his election, marking his first public appearance as pope. The Augustinian order, to which Leo belonged, has long revered the sanctuary, which has been a pilgrimage site since the 15th century. Pope Leo XIII elevated the site to a minor basilica in the early 1900s.

During his homily at the basilica on Monday, focusing on the birth of Mary, Pope Leo XIV recalled his sentiments expressed in the sanctuary's guestbook at the time of his election. He wrote that he felt a profound need and desire to come to the sanctuary to pray before the Madonna of Good Counsel, who has accompanied him throughout his life with her maternal presence, wisdom, and love for her son, who remains central to his faith.

As summer activities wind down, the Holy See is ramping up its schedule, with Pope Leo XIV preparing for conferences, audiences, a trip to France, and an upcoming pilgrimage to France, Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in November.