Fifty-six years after Apollo 11 landed on the moon, Pope Leo XIV spoke with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the Holy See Press Office announced. Source: Vatican News.
NASA launched Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon, on July 16, 1969. On July 20, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon, and Buzz Aldrin, also on the spaceship, became the second.
In the statement, the Press Office continued, “He shared with him the memory of a historic achievement – a testimony to human ingenuity – and, using the words of Psalm 8, together they reflected on the mystery of Creation, its greatness, and its fragility.”
Before ending the call, Pope Leo blessed the astronaut, his family, and his collaborators.
Following the conversation, Mr Aldrin wrote on social media, “Anca and I were grateful and touched to receive the highest blessing from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV on the 56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. What an honour! We prayed for good health, long life, and prosperity for all humankind. #PopeLeoXIV.”
After reciting the midday Angelus yesterday, the Pope visited the telescopes and instruments in the Domes of the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo.
On the same day, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, informed journalists that Pope Leo would not return, as initially planned, on Sunday to the Vatican but would instead stay until Tuesday at Castel Gandolfo and return to the Vatican that evening.
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Apollo 11 anniversary: Pope Leo XIV speaks with astronaut Buzz Aldrin (By Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
