Pope Leo XIV Feeds Fish and Jokes During Visit to Castel Gandolfo

Rome: Pope Leo XIV fed some fish Friday at the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo where he is unveiling a memorial to his predecessor Francis’s ‘green encyclical’ Laudato si’, and jokingly asked the finned denizens of the pool, “is anybody hungry?” During his stay at Borgo Laudato Si’, which preceded the celebration inaugurating this project, the pope stopped at several locations within the Pontifical Villas.

According to Ansa News Agency, he first greeted the Borgo’s employees, who were accompanied by their families. Following this, he toured the various areas. In the “mirrors” section, where there are ponds with fish, the Pope fed the animals and joked, “Is anyone hungry?”

In the Borgo, the Pope also encountered a purebred Spanish horse, reminiscent of the ones he used to ride when he was a missionary before becoming Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost in Peru. Additionally, he was shown a calf born on Sunday. “That’s why we named him Domenico,” explained one of the employees.

The tour also included a stop at the vineyard that will produce Laudato si’ wine starting from the 2026 harvest, with production expected in 2027.