Pope Leo XIV visited the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday afternoon, May 19.

Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Archbishop Emilio Nappa, and Attorney Giuseppe Puglisi, respectively President and Secretaries General of the Governorate of Vatican City State; by the Director of the Vatican Observatory, Jesuit Fr. Richard Anthony D’Souza; by the Deputy Director, Fr. Gabriele Gionti; and by the President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, Br. Guy Consolmagno.

“Dream, Make Choices, Set Priorities”

A total of 2,120 college degrees were awarded by the University of Notre Dame during its 181^st commencement ceremony, Commencement 2026. The event, attended by more than 20,000 people—including students, faculty members, families, and friends—was held at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, in the United States.

Everyone is called to become an agent of Peace and Reconciliation

For the first time, three States have joined together for a common numismatic issue. This is the collaboration behind the triptych of coins dedicated to the Canticle of the Creatures, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The initiative, included in the official calendar of Franciscan celebrations, was presented in Assisi on Thursday morning, May 14, in the Cimabue Hall of the “Colle del Paradiso” Conference Center within the monumental complex of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis.

Coins created through a collaboration between Italy, the Vatican, and San Marino unveiled

Assisi, 14 May 2026 – The numismatic triptych dedicated to the Canticle of the Creatures was presented today in the Cimabue Hall of the “Colle del Paradiso” Conference Center within the monumental complex of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis in Assisi. The project was created through a collaboration between Italy, the Vatican, and San Marino as part of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Included in the official calendar of Franciscan celebrations, the initiative represents a meeting point between art, spirituality, and numismatics in the symbolic place of the life and message of the Saint of Assisi.

Stamp and special die emissionis postmark for the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV

On the first anniversary of the election of Leo XIV to the Chair of Peter — on May 8, the day of the Supplication to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii — the Postal and Philately Service of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of Vatican City State has issued a stamp and a special die emissionis postmark.