Pope Leo XIV Addresses Vallombrosans
- Isabelle DESARNAUD
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the newly elected Abbot General and all participants to the General Chapter of the Vallombrosan Congregation on 28 June 2025, urging continued fidelity to Gospel simplicity.
In a measured, pastoral tone, Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude for the Vallombrosan witness: “your monastic life… recalling the entire Church to the primacy of God as the source of joy and the basis of personal and social transformation”. Drawing inspiration from their founder, Saint John Gualbert, he acknowledged the fragility inherent in both monastic beginnings and today’s communities. Yet, he reaffirmed: rooted in the unadorned Gospel –sine glossa– the fragrance of its beauty endures.
Highlighting the continual call to renewal, the Pope referenced Saint Paul VI’s words from 1973 on establishing a novum institutum that returns to genuine prayer and apostolic life –this remains “a leaven of new life” . He echoed Pope Francis in emphasising Vatican II’s ongoing vocation: overcoming self-referentialism, embracing poverty, listening to the poor, and strengthening communion –particularly with other Benedictine congregations– to remain faithful to the Rule while engaging today’s world. He concluded with a hopeful encouragement and imparted his Apostolic Blessing .
The Vallombrosan Congregation: A Brief History
The Vallombrosan Congregation was founded in the early eleventh century by Saint John Gualbert, a Florentine noble who experienced a profound conversion after forgiving his brother’s murderer. Seeking a life of deeper Gospel fidelity, he established the monastery of Vallombrosa in the Tuscan hills, forming a community marked by ascetic discipline, strict observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict, and a commitment to Church reform.
The congregation grew rapidly in the Middle Ages and played a notable role in the struggle against simony. It was one of the first to organise lay brothers to support the monastic life. Though it experienced decline in later centuries, the congregation endures today as part of the Benedictine Confederation, with its motherhouse still located at Vallombrosa and a small number of monasteries continuing its spiritual legacy.
Pope Leo’s exhortation invites the Vallombrosan Congregation to heed its origins with renewed simplicity, unity and prophetic presence. Grounded in their rich history –from John Gualbert’s mercy and reform to medieval influence– they are called today to a lived fidelity that speaks powerfully to contemporary culture.
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