Pope Leo XIV announced Wednesday he is asking the devoted to refrain from eating on Aug. 22 and to spend the day praying for peace.

Pope Leo shared advice with a devout wife and mother in a letter: ‘If your point of reference, dear Laura, is Mary, you will be able to face any uncertainty.’

Approximately 200 people, including Castel Gandolfo Mayor Alberto de Angelis, attended the pope’s solemn Mass held at the pontifical parish.

I ask all the faithful to spend Aug. 22 in fasting and prayer, asking the Lord to grant us peace and justice and to dry the tears of those who suffer because of the armed conflicts underway.”

The shrine’s small church, with its gable façade and ogival windows, dates to the 13th century; behind it is a mystical grotto where St. Benedict is alleged to have lived for two years. During his visit on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV lit a candle and prayed there.

Material comfort and a certain complacency can dull the conscience, Pope Leo XIV said during his homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, the Mother of God.

During Mass in Castel Gandolfo for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Leo XIV marvels how Mary's 'yes' gives hope to us today, saying we celebrate the Paschal Mystery of Jesus, which changed the course of history.