ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of man’s arrival on the moon Sunday with a visit to the Vatican astronomical observatory in Castel Gandolfo and a call to astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Pope Leo visited the Vatican’s internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center’s historic telescopes.

July 21 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV spoke with astronaut Buzz Aldrin to discuss the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. During the call, the two reminisced on the 1969 landing, "reflecting on the mystery of creation, its greatness and fragility."

To celebrate the anniversary of the 1969 moon landing on Sunday (July 20) Pope Leo visited the domes of the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, where he was given a tour of the telescopes and scientific instruments.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called astronaut Buzz Aldrin and visited the Vatican's astronomical observatory in Castel Gandolfo to mark the 56th anniversary of man's first moon landing.Earlier Sunday, Leo visited the Vatican Observatory,

After praying the Sunday Angelus at his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, Leo headed to the astronomical observatory located in the Pontifical Villas.