Leo XIII established the observatory in 1891, and this was Pope Leo’s first visit. However, the earliest idea of it dates back to 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII established a committee to examine the scientific evidence and ramifications of the calendar reform.
Scholars are drawn to the Vatican Observatory’s meteorite collection, which includes fragments of Mars and is regarded as one of the best in the world, because of the excellent research produced by its scientist-clerics.
Buzz Aldrin, the astronaut who shared the momentous 1969 moonwalk with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, was summoned by the pope later on Sunday.
Pope Leo wrote on his X account, “This evening, 56 years after the Apollo 11 moon landing, I spoke with the astronaut Buzz Aldrin.” We pondered the greatness and mystery of Creation while remembering a historic achievement that was a testament to human ingenuity.
The astronaut, his family, and his associates were then blessed by Pope Leo.
Papal appeals for “space” have been made before.
Pope Benedict XVI called the space station in 2011 to inquire about the planet’s future and the environmental threats it faced.
Prior to Benedict, astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins received a radio call from Pope Paul VI referring to them as “conquerors of the moon” during their moonwalk.
