PAVIA, Italy (AP) - Pope Leo XIV made a significant visit to northern Italy on Saturday, encouraging the Italian populace to rekindle their waning Catholic faith. This visit included a prayer before the relics of St. Augustine, a prominent figure in early Christian theology, at the San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro basilica. The pope traveled by helicopter to Pavia, near Milan, where the remains of the fifth-century saint are housed.

During this day trip, which serves as a midpoint in his summer 2026 grand tour of Italy, Leo also planned to honor the first American saint, Mother Frances Cabrini. The American pope's itinerary includes various Saturday excursions throughout the Italian peninsula and its islands, aimed at strengthening his connection with his new congregation.

This visit to Pavia was particularly meaningful for Leo, who has openly identified himself as a “son of St. Augustine” since the night of his papal election. In his inaugural year, he has frequently cited Augustine, illustrating the saint's influence as a cornerstone of his pontificate. In his address to the faithful gathered in the basilica, Leo implored Italians to discover or revive their faith, presenting Augustine as an exemplary model for this journey. Italy, like other once-strongly Christian nations in Europe, has seen a decrease in church attendance and religious matrimonial ceremonies in recent years.

“At a time when many people seem to have lost their spiritual appetite or, for various reasons, no longer find the Christian faith appealing for their lives, we are called first and foremost to proclaim the Gospel,” Leo stated. He emphasized Augustine's life and conversion story as a source of inspiration for contemporary believers.

St. Augustine, born in 354 in present-day Algeria, spent a pivotal five years around Milan, where he converted to Christianity. He later became a bishop and authored influential works such as “Confessions” and “The City of God.” Leo underscored Augustine’s emphasis on the “value and primacy of interiority,” highlighting the importance of finding meaning through personal reflection.

Later in the day, the pope was scheduled to visit Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, the birthplace of Mother Frances Cabrini, who is recognized as the patron saint of migrants. Cabrini is widely acknowledged for her efforts to assist Italian immigrants in the United States during the late 19th century. After passing away in 1917 as a naturalized U.S. citizen in Chicago, she was beatified and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1946, marking her as the first American saint. Pius referred to her as a “heroine of modern times” in a radio message that year. Additionally, Cabrini’s legacy continues to inspire institutions, such as Villanova University in Pennsylvania, which recently established a campus and an Institute on Immigration in her honor.

Pope Leo XIV has adopted the Catholic Church’s mission to “welcome the stranger” in his approach to migrants, akin to his predecessor, Pope Francis. Recently, the pope spent two days in Spain’s Canary Islands, a notable transit point for migrants from West Africa, where he advocated for their welcome and integration amidst ongoing conditions of hardship and conflict.

His next planned trip is on July 4 to Lampedusa, a Sicilian island that is a significant destination for migrants fleeing from North Africa to Italy. This date holds additional symbolic significance, as it coincides with U.S. Independence Day and recalls Pope Francis's own first trip outside of Rome in 2013.

Pope Leo XIV’s initiatives and diplomatic stance on migration have often placed him at odds with the previous U.S. administration’s approaches to immigration policy, enhancing the significance of his upcoming visit to Lampedusa.