In a momentous declaration, the Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected successor to Pope Francis, will travel to Mars in 2027 to perform the first-ever Holy Mass in space. The Mass will take place inside the St. Ignatius Habitat Chapel located in the Red Horizon Colony, a human settlement jointly operated by NASA and the European Space Agency since 2024.
The mission was originally conceived under the late Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this year. In a continuation of that vision, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Vatican’s commitment in a new decree titled “Ad Astra Fidelis II” (“Faith to the Stars Continues”), stating:
“Where humanity walks, the Gospel must follow. Even into the heavens.”
Pope Leo XIV, known for his background in both theology and astrophysics, has reportedly expressed personal enthusiasm for the mission, calling it “a sacred bridge between faith and the future.”
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The Mass will commemorate the colony’s one-year anniversary and include Communion, a universal blessing, and a homily titled “Peace Among Planets.” Vatican engineers, working closely with ESA and SpaceX, are already adapting spaceflight modules to suit the Pope’s specific needs, including gravity assist equipment for liturgical performance in microgravity.
Artisans in Florence have crafted a zero-gravity chalice, altar, and portable tabernacle all of which are currently in orbit aboard an ESA supply mission.
Reactions have spanned awe to criticism. Many Catholics celebrate the bold outreach, while skeptics question the costs and risks. Nonetheless, Pope Leo XIV’s decision has reignited global conversations about spirituality in space.
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NASA Administrator Carla Peterson praised the move as “the next leap in human culture’s journey to the stars.”
Pope Leo XIV is set to begin astronaut training in early 2026 at an ESA facility in Toulouse, France.
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