Pope Leo XIV is expected to visit Assisi during the special Jubilee Year celebrating the 800th anniversary of St. Francis's death. Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino expressed confidence in the Pope's visit, although a specific date has not yet been confirmed. Over 350,000 pilgrims are registered to venerate St. Francis's relics, which will be displayed from February 22 to March 22. Possible dates suggested for the papal visit include mid-May, coinciding with the anniversary of the Sanctuary of the Renunciation, or October, during the feasts of St. Francis and St. Carlo Acutis.
26 days ago
Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino and Foligno, announced that Pope Leo XIV is expected to visit Assisi during the Jubilee Year of St. Francis.1
The archbishop expressed confidence in the visit after submitting a formal request, though no date has been confirmed yet.1
The year marks the 800th anniversary of St. Francis's death and runs until January 10, 2027, with a plenary indulgence for pilgrims visiting Franciscan sites.1
Over 350,000 pilgrims have registered to venerate St. Francis's relics, displayed from February 22 to March 22 in the Basilica of St. Francis.1
Mid-May is one option, coinciding with the anniversary of the Sanctuary of the Renunciation in Assisi's Church of St. Mary Major, site of St. Francis's renunciation and tomb of St. Carlo Acutis.1
October is more likely, aligning with feasts of St. Francis and St. Carlo Acutis, plus the 40th anniversary of the Spirit of Assisi interreligious gathering organized by St. John Paul II.1
The visit is not expected before March 25, after the installation of new Bishop Felice Accrocca.1
Pope Leo accepted Archbishop Sorrentino's resignation after 20 years as bishop of Assisi; the 77-year-old will continue working inspired by St. Francis and St. Carlo Acutis.1
Archbishop Accrocca, currently of Benevento and an expert on St. Francis, will take over.1
Pope Leo made a brief visit to Assisi on November 20, 2025, praying privately at St. Francis's tomb during the Italian bishops' conference.1
He described it as a blessing amid preparations for the 800th anniversary, emphasizing the saint's humility and hope for a world in need.1
At a press conference for the "Francis of Assisi and Carlo Acutis for an Economy of Fraternity" award, Sorrentino said the saints guide people to Jesus in a time when the Gospel is forgotten.1
South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik called for an economy that gives life, includes, humanizes, and cares for creation, inspired by the saints' self-denial.1
The award, offering 50,000 euros for projects aiding the poor, went to India's Project HOPE in 2025; applications close February 28.1
Examine papal visits to Assisi during Jubilee years
Papal visits to Assisi during Jubilee years highlight the enduring spiritual significance of the city as the cradle of Franciscan poverty, peace, and renewal, themes that resonate deeply with the Church's Jubilee calls to mercy, hope, and solidarity with the poor. While historical records in the provided sources reveal a limited number of such visits, Pope Leo XIV's presence in Assisi on November 20, 2025—amid the Jubilee Year—emerges as a poignant contemporary example, echoing the prophetic spirit of St. Francis in a time of global challenges. This analysis draws on papal addresses, exhortations, and catecheses to explore the context, instances, and theological import of these pilgrimages.
Jubilee years, or Holy Years, are extraordinary periods of grace proclaimed by the Roman Pontiff, rooted in biblical precedents like the Levitical Jubilee of liberation and forgiveness (Lv 25). They involve plenary indulgences gained through confession, Communion, and pilgrimages to Rome's major basilicas, symbolizing reconciliation and the opening of "holy doors" as acts of divine mercy. Conditions typically include prayers for the Church's needs, with variations for residents and pilgrims.
The modern Jubilee tradition, formalized by Boniface VIII in 1300, evolved to every 25 or 50 years, with special ones like 2000 under John Paul II emphasizing preparation through pilgrimages and renewal. The 2025 Jubilee, referenced across sources, focused on hope amid post-pandemic recovery, concluding around late 2025 with themes of trust, reconciliation, and service to the poor—explicitly linked to Franciscan ideals. Pope Leo XIV's teachings during this year, such as his Jubilee catechesis on choosing hope over material attachments, framed the event as a "door of hope" opened by embracing Gospel poverty.
Assisi holds a privileged place in papal itineraries due to St. Francis, whose life embodies evangelical radicalism and peace. Popes have visited to invoke his intercession for the Church and world, often tying these trips to broader renewal efforts. John Paul II's 1978 visit to the Basilica of Saint Francis, early in his pontificate, was a personal homecoming invoking Francis to "bring Christ close to our age" amid approaching the third millennium. He prayed for a "new Coming" of Christ, linking Franciscan spirituality to eschatological hope.
John Paul II further emphasized Assisi's role in ecumenical and Jubilee preparations, recalling prophetic gatherings there during the 2000 Great Jubilee, though not specifying a papal visit that year. Earlier journeys, like John XXIII's 1962 pilgrimage before Vatican II, underscored Assisi as a "source of great breath of the Spirit." These visits, while not always Jubilee-timed, model Assisi as a site for prophetic revival.
The sources pinpoint one clear instance: Pope Leo XIV's visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi on November 20, 2025, at the conclusion of the 81st General Assembly of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (November 17-20). This occurred squarely within the 2025 Jubilee, as evidenced by contemporaneous Jubilee catecheses and messages marking its culmination. Addressing "dear brothers in the episcopate," Leo XIV gathered bishops in Francis's Porziuncola chapel, a locus of mercy, to reflect on synodality and mission—Jubilee priorities. The timing, post-Jubilee indulgence period but during ongoing commemorations, amplified its significance.
No other sources document papal visits to Assisi during prior Jubilees like 2000, 1975, or 1950. John Paul II's extensive travels for the 2000 preparations included ecumenical events but bypassed Assisi that year, focusing instead on Rome and the Holy Land. Earlier Jubilees, such as Clement XIV's 1775 proclamation, emphasize Roman basilicas without Assisi mentions. This scarcity may reflect logistical priorities—Jubilee epicenters in Rome—or the sources' focus on recent events, yet Leo XIV's trip fills a contemporary gap, bridging the 2000 Jubilee's ecumenical legacy with 2025's Franciscan emphases.
Assisi visits during Jubilees align with core themes: poverty as a choice for hope, reconciliation amid conflict, and love for the marginalized. Leo XIV's 2025 exhortation Dilexi te, issued on Francis's feast, portrays Christian love as "prophetic" and limitless, urging the Church to embrace the poor as Christ did—echoing his Assisi address. The Jubilee catechesis on Clare and Francis, delivered days earlier in St. Peter's, contrasts "spiritual sadness" from materialism with the "life of forgiveness and mercy" they chose, inspiring a Church "that serves God and the poor."
This resonates with Leo XIV's 2026 letter opening the Eighth Centenary of Francis's death, calling Franciscans to be "peacemakers" from Assisi, invoking Gospel peace (Jn 20:19; Lk 2:14). John Paul II similarly sought Francis's aid for Jubilee-era renewal. Collectively, these underscore Assisi as a Jubilee "springtime," fostering fraternity in a world "afflicted by violence."
In pastoral terms, such visits exhort bishops and faithful to incarnate Jubilee mercy locally, as John Paul II urged in preparation speeches. Leo XIV's bishops' meeting modeled this, prioritizing the poor amid Italy's challenges.
While sources reveal no extensive catalog of papal Assisi visits confined to Jubilee years, Pope Leo XIV's 2025 pilgrimage stands as a luminous exemplar, intertwining Franciscan charism with Jubilee graces of indulgence, hope, and reconciliation. It invites the Church to emulate Francis and Clare, choosing poverty and peace to open "the door of hope to the world." This tradition calls all pilgrims—lay and ordained—to embody Jubilee renewal, bridging past graces with future missions.