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Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission by visiting the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo following his midday Angelus address and later speaking with Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving member of the crew that first set foot on the Moon in July 1969.
The observatory, founded by Pope Leo XIII in 1891 and tracing its origins to papal studies under Gregory XIII, holds a prestigious collection of meteorites, including fragments from Mars, and continues its mission to serve as a bridge between faith and science.
During the call to Buzz Aldrin, the Pope and astronaut together pondered the wonder of the heavens by meditating on Psalm 8, which speaks of the infinite glory of creation alongside its delicate fragility. Before concluding the conversation, the Pope imparted his episcopal blessing upon Mr Aldrin, his family, and all who supported the Apollo 11 mission.
Together they shared the memory of a historic feat, a testimony to human ingenuity, and reflected on the mystery and greatness of creation.
Eyewitnesses to the event included students and scholars attending this year’s summer school at the observatory. The observatory’s modern work includes participation in initiatives such as the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Arizona, continuing its legacy of faith-inspired research into the Earth and the cosmos.
Leo’s engagement follows a tradition of pontifical connections with spacefarers. In 1969, Pope Paul VI sent a message of congratulations to the Apollo 11 astronauts, and in 2011, Pope Benedict XVI contacted the International Space Station to discuss the future of Earth and the threats posed by environmental damage.
Buzz Aldrin responded to the papal blessing with gratitude and later shared that he and his wife had felt deeply honoured and moved to receive such a blessing on a day commemorating humanity’s first steps on the lunar surface.
Sunday marked the 56th anniversary of the moment when, at 20:17:40 UTC, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon. Aldrin, a Freemason and a Presbyterian elder, upon landing on the Moon, radioed to NASA: “I would like to request a few moments of silence … and to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way.”
He then received Presbyterian communion and read John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This marked the first religious service held on the Moon.
