Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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What a beautiful and colorful welcome for Pope Leo XIV in San Marino!
The Holy Father became only the third pope to visit the world’s oldest republic—and one of its smallest nations.
For the occasion, San Marino’s historic streets and quarters came alive with crossbowmen, flag-wavers, musicians, and figures in medieval and Renaissance dress. These ceremonial traditions recall the citizens who once defended this mountaintop republic.
According to tradition, San Marino was founded in A.D. 301 by St. Marinus, a Christian deacon who fled persecution and settled on Monte Titano. Surrounded by Italy, the tiny republic has preserved its independence, Catholic heritage, and iconic three-tower skyline for more than 1,700 years.
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