A Renewed Momentum for the Franciscan Charism: In Assisi, the Holy Father greeted the general ministers of the First Order and the friars in the cloister and then celebrated—for the first time in the history of the pontificate—a solemn Eucharist in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels.
Assisi, Italy – August 6, 2026. Assisi experienced a day of intense spirituality during the visit of Pope Leo XIV, who had come for the celebrations marking the 8th centenary of the death of St. Francis. During the morning, the pontiff met with over three thousand people in the basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels. This was his second trip to Assisi and the first time a Roman pontiff had celebrated the Eucharist in the basilica that houses the Porziuncola.
Upon arriving by helicopter and being welcomed by the authorities, the Holy Father first greeted the general ministers of the three main Franciscan families: Br. Massimo Fusarelli, general minister of the Friars Minor; Br. Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, general minister of the Friars Minor Conventual; and Br. Robert William, general councilor representing the general minister of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, Br. Roberto Genuin.
On the steps of the basilica, on behalf of the entire Franciscan family, the pope was officially welcomed by Br. Marco Vianelli, provincial minister of the Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia. In his greeting, Br. Marco noted that the Porziuncola still represents today the heart and the “living memory” of the origins of the fraternity founded by St. Francis.
At the “Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting” and the Gathering with Friars
The fraternal gathering took place as part of the “Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting 2026,” a major international gathering organized in conjunction with the centennial year. Over the course of four days, the event transformed Assisi into a focal point for Franciscan youth, bringing together thousands of young people from Europe and numerous other countries around the world.
Through prayer, reflection, and dialogue, the participants explored key themes such as peace, fraternity, mission, care for creation, and the economy. They rediscovered in St. Francis a figure capable of speaking to new generations and offering answers to today’s challenges.
After greeting the young people and holding a question-and-answer session with them in front of the basilica, Pope Leo XIV went to the friary cloister, where he personally greeted a group of friars from various orders. The meeting served as a significant sign of unity and an encouragement to renew the strength of the Franciscan charism throughout the world.
Subsequently, the pope met with members of the national committee for the 800th-anniversary celebrations and presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration in the basilica. Several cardinals attended the liturgy, including Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, as well as the general ministers of the Franciscan families.
The Homily: Becoming Light and Reaching the Peripheries
In his homily, delivered on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV described Assisi as a unique place, where “life can take on a new form, radiate light, and heal the world.” He then held up the example of Francis and Clare, who in their youth were able to embrace the Gospel without compromise and allow themselves to be profoundly transformed by their encounter with Christ.
Reflecting on the experience of the youth gathering, the pope highlighted “the art of conversation,” which participants had experienced during those days as a way to move from noise to mutual dialogue and to discern God’s will more clearly. The focus of the pope’s message was the missionary mandate expressed in the very title of the meeting: “Go!”
“Go! Or even better: let’s go! Let’s go!” exclaimed the Holy Father, inviting everyone to step outside themselves and reach out to the peripheries of life, where human dignity is threatened by war, injustice, and indifference.
In conclusion, the pope encouraged the friars, young people, and pilgrims to embrace evangelical poverty and to become builders of a “civilization of love.” Finally, he reminded them that the modern world still awaits credible witnesses and new saints, capable of embodying the Gospel in the real choices they make in daily life.