Welcome to Vatican Insider on another historic weekend – the second with our new Holy Father, American-born Augustinian, Pope Leo XIV. In fact, the inaugural Mass of his pontificate takes place on Sunday, May 18 in St. Peter’s Square. St. John Paul’s birthday was May 18 – he would have been 105!

This week, in what is normally the interview segment of Vatican Insider, I’ve prepared a Special on the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, just south of Naples. Why this shrine this week? Well, Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, the feast day of this marvelous Marian shrine, and Mary is very dear to him.