Benedict XVI yesterday, July 25, 2019, made a surprise excursion from the Vatican Gardens.
This morning in a brief statement, Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, responded to journalists’ inquiries, confirmed this, stating:»Archbishop Georg Ganswein,» the personal secretary to Benedict XVI and prefect of the papal household, «expressed to me this morning, that yesterday afternoon, at 4:15 pm, the Pope Emeritus went to the Castelli Romani.»
«First,» he noted, Benedict «went to Castel Gandolfo, with a pause in the gardens, and to the Belvedere for a walk and the recitation of the Rosary.»
Benedict, as Pope, always used to spend his summers at Castel Gandolfo.
«After, Benedict went to the Shrine of Our Lady del Tufo at Rocca di Papa and finally, together with Monsignor Raffaello Martinelli, to the Episcopal Curia of Frascati, where he stayed for dinner.»
«At 10:30 pm, he returned to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery,» his residence in the Vatican gardens.
Monsignor Martinelli had invited the Pope Emeritus to make the visit and he had welcomed the invitation.
Photo from Il Sismografo Blog
Benedict XVI Makes Excursion from Vatican to Visit Old Papal Retreat of Castel Gandolfo
Pope Emeritus Welcomed Invitation to Spend Afternoon and Evening in Castelli Romani