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16 August 2025

Pope Leo XIV And Florida Parish Honor Mary With New Devotions

A papal Mass in Italy and a new garden in Florida highlight Catholic devotion to Mary, drawing communities together in prayer, hope, and reflection.

On a warm August morning in 2025, Pope Leo XIV stood before a congregation of about 200 people at the Church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo. The occasion was the solemn Mass of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day that holds deep significance for Catholics worldwide. Among those in attendance was Castel Gandolfo’s Mayor Alberto de Angelis, reflecting the event’s importance both to the local community and to the broader Church. The air was thick with reverence as the faithful gathered to commemorate the Church’s dogma: that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was assumed body and soul into heaven.

In his homily, Pope Leo XIV painted a vivid picture of Mary’s encounter with her cousin Elizabeth, calling it the “crowning moment of her life” on earth. According to Vatican Media, he reflected on the Magnificat—Mary’s song of praise recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel—urging Catholics to renew this ancient hymn in their own lives. “The Magnificat, which the Gospel places on the lips of the young Mary, now radiates the light of all her days,” he said. The pope emphasized that even a single day can hold the seed of every other day, every other season—a message that resonated with many in the pews.

Pope Leo XIV’s words were not just a call to remember the past, but a challenge to the present. He encouraged the faithful to say their own "yes" to God, just as Mary did. He pointed out that the fruitfulness of Mary’s acceptance—her fiat—extends to the Church and to all humanity whenever God’s renewing Word is welcomed. “The surprising fruitfulness of barren Elizabeth confirmed Mary in her trust,” he noted, “It anticipated the fruitfulness of her ‘yes,’ which extends to the fruitfulness of the Church and of all humanity whenever God’s renewing Word is welcomed.”

The pope reminded the congregation that Mary’s Magnificat is not just a relic of history but a living prayer, sung “from generation to generation” at the close of every day in the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours. He highlighted how the song continues to strengthen the hope of the humble, the hungry, and the faithful servants of God. “Even in our own day, the poor and persecuted Christian communities, the witnesses of tenderness and forgiveness in places of conflict, and the peacemakers and bridge-builders in a broken world, are the joy of the Church,” he said. “They are her enduring fruitfulness, the firstfruits of the kingdom to come. Let us be converted by their witness!”

After the Mass, Pope Leo XIV made his way to Piazza della Libertà to pray the traditional midday Angelus with the crowds gathered outside. He spoke about hope, peace, and the enduring presence of God in a world often rocked by violence and uncertainty. “Mary, whom the risen Christ carried body and soul into the glory, shines as an icon of hope for her pilgrim children throughout history,” he declared. The pope urged Christians to become “pilgrims of hope” as the 2025 Jubilee Year approached, reminding them that the ultimate goal of life is union with God—“infinite and eternal love, fullness of life, peace, joy, and every good thing.”

Pope Leo XIV also offered a historical perspective, recalling that Pope Pius XII declared the Marian dogma of the Assumption in 1950, just five years after the devastation of World War II. “Even today, sadly, we feel powerless before the spread of violence in the world—a violence increasingly deaf and insensitive to any stirring of humanity,” he lamented. Yet, he insisted that hope must endure: “God is greater than the sin of human beings.”

While the pope’s message echoed through the marble halls of Castel Gandolfo, another Marian tribute was quietly taking shape nearly 5,000 miles away in Ormond Beach, Florida. There, on August 6, 2025, the Prince of Peace Catholic Church broke ground on Mary’s Peace Garden—a 6,000-square-foot outdoor sanctuary designed to foster prayer, beauty, and devotion. According to the church, the new garden will feature a 170-foot-long and 16-foot-wide paved walkway, shaped like a cross, with 14 small monuments referencing The Stations of the Cross. These will lead visitors to a striking 900-pound marble statue of the Virgin Mary, approximately six feet tall and set atop a five-foot base.

The materials for the garden’s sacred art are an international affair. The Stations of the Cross monuments were crafted in Vietnam, while the marble statue of Mary will be imported from Italy. Church council member Dominico Bui, who coordinated the project, explained that talks for the garden began two years ago, inspired by the community’s strong Marian devotion. “The community is thrilled and happy, because Marian devotion is very much a part of Catholic faith,” said Rev. Justin Vakko, the church’s pastor, in an interview with the local press. “Our community has a lot of Marian activities, so we needed a nicer, bigger place.”

The garden’s location—between the church’s main parking lot and Nova Road—will replace smaller existing statues honoring Mary. According to the church, the new space will serve not only as a place for private prayer and reflection but also as a venue for parish gatherings and outdoor social functions. “It will be a sanctuary of serenity in the heart of Ormond Beach where all are welcome to encounter peace, pray and reflect, and will be a generational gift to residents and visitors for years to come,” the church’s press release stated.

Rev. Vakko highlighted the practical benefits as well, noting that the church holds outdoor prayer services several times a year and that the new garden will be “very useful” for these occasions. The church’s rosary group and annual Mary crowning ceremonies—symbolizing Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God—will also have a dedicated space. The project, expected to cost just under $400,000, has received approval from the Orlando diocese and enthusiastic support from parish sponsors. Bui anticipates completion by November, just in time for the church’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2026, to which the garden will be partly dedicated.

“With this nice one, we’ll have benches so people can come pray and reflect. And it will be nice for the special services (dedicated to Mary) we have,” Bui said. The church’s website further explains that the garden will provide not only spiritual enrichment but also a venue for the community to gather, celebrate, and mark important milestones together.

From the Vatican’s marble altars to the sun-drenched gardens of Florida, the enduring devotion to Mary continues to inspire Catholics to seek peace, hope, and a deeper connection with God. Whether through the pope’s call to renew the Magnificat or through the creation of new sacred spaces, the message is clear: the legacy of Mary’s “yes” endures, offering solace and inspiration in an ever-changing world.