Pope Leo XIV to inaugurate Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo

The Vatican is bringing Pope Francis' ecological vision into action by inaugurating a 55-acre educational and vocational center at its Castel Gandolfo estate.

The Holy See's first on-site vocational school, "Borgo Laudato Si," will formally open on Friday, under the blessing of Pope Leo XIV , who spent his first summer in papal service at the site.

At the center of the compound is a solar-powered greenhouse shaped like St. Peter's Square colonnade, accompanied by a 10-room facility for environmental learning.

The center operates under zero-waste standards, featuring AI-driven smart irrigation and rainwater harvesting, while completely eliminating the use of plastics.