Pope Leo XIV Visits Pavia’s National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy

CNAO stands as one of the few global facilities capable of treating inoperable, radioresistant tumors using both protons and carbon ions. Its synchrotron accelerator delivers precision beams that eradicate diseased cells while sparing healthy tissue. President Gianluca Vago and General Manager Sandro Rossi guided the Pope through the center, which currently treats patients with technology set to expand soon to include Helium, Oxygen, and Neon ion species.

Since its inception, the center has treated over 6,000 individuals, including 300 children. The visit reached an emotional peak during a private gathering where the Pope embraced young patients and their families. Reflecting on the encounter, Vago noted that the visit aligns with the Pope’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which calls for scientific progress to remain centered on the individual. The center, which employs 200 doctors, physicists, and researchers, currently supports the IAEA’s "Rays of Hope" initiative, symbolically linking the power of atomic particle beams to the act of healing.