Pope Leo XIV on Friday inaugurated the Laudato si’ Village (Borgo Laudato sì) at Castel Gandolfo, describing it as a “seed of hope” and a tangible model for ecological conversion.

The project, first envisioned by Pope Francis, brings together spirituality, education, history, nature, art, and sustainable innovation as a living witness of the Church’s commitment to care for creation and for the most vulnerable.

Arriving through the main gate of the complex, the Pope was welcomed by those who daily serve pilgrims and visitors to the Village. Walking along a tree-lined avenue, he greeted families, giving life to what he later described as the central theme of “welcome,” a principle that unites the care of creation with solidarity and human dignity.

Call for integral ecology

The Holy Father continued his visit in an electric cart, a sign of the project’s commitment to sustainable mobility. He paused in the historic Little Madonna Garden, where earlier this summer he had celebrated the first Mass with the new liturgy dedicated to the Custody of Creation. Calling it a “natural cathedral,” the Pope had, once again, invited all to ecological conversion, urging reflection on lifestyles and greater responsibility in caring for our common home.

Proceeding through gardens and ancient ruins, he met workers and their families, thanking them for their care of the land and the over 3,000 plant species cultivated within the Borgo. He made a stop to feed the Japanese Koi fish in a pond full of water lilies and contemplate the beauty of the gardens.

At the biodynamic vineyard, he greeted farm workers and blessed animals, including some beautiful horses, highlighting integral ecology as care both for creation and for people.

Liturgy of the Word in the greenhouse

The culmination of the day came in the newly built greenhouse, a multifunctional and net-zero energy complex that serves as the beating heart of the Borgo Laudato si’ project. It is also the headquarters of a Higher Education Centre destined to host all sorts of initiatives dedicated to ecological sustainability. There, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Liturgy of the Word and the Rite of Blessing, accompanied in prayer by music offered by tenor Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo.

In his homily, the Pope reflected on the Gospel of Matthew, recalling Jesus’ invitation to “look at the birds of the sky” and “observe the lilies of the field.” Every creature, he said, has an important and specific role in God's plan, and each is “good.” 

“Care for creation is truly a vocation for every human being. We are creatures among creatures, entrusted with the responsibility to care for all that the Creator has made,” he said.

He highlighted that the Borgo Laudato si’ is intended to be a “living laboratory” of faith and sustainability.

 “What we see today is a synthesis of extraordinary beauty, where spirituality, daily life, and technology dwell together in harmony. It is a place of closeness and convivial proximity, and a seed that can bear fruits of justice and peace,” the Pope said.

Prayer for creation

The liturgy concluded with a prayer for creation, asking God to awaken gratitude for every creature, enlighten leaders to promote the common good, and strengthen humanity’s resolve to protect life and prepare “a Kingdom of justice, peace, love, and beauty.”