Assisi prepares to welcome more than 2,500 young people from across Europe and around the world. On 6 August, they will meet Pope Leo XIV
The countdown has begun for the GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting, the major international gathering taking place as part of the celebrations for the Eighth Centenary of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Just as in 1221, when thousands of friars gathered around Saint Francis for the historic Chapter of the Mats, Assisi will once again become the place where thousands of young people journey towards the Porziuncola. From 3 to 6 August 2026, more than 2,500 participants from across Europe and other continents will relive that same spirit of fraternity which Saint Francis envisioned for his brothers, transforming it into a great international gathering dedicated to today’s younger generations.
The meeting will offer a genuine spiritual journey in the very place where Saint Francis discovered his vocation, inviting participants to reflect on the great challenges of our time in the light of the Gospel and the Franciscan charism. At the heart of the programme will be nine thematic workshops followed by interactive laboratories focusing on peace, integral ecology, fraternal economy, art, communication, social justice, vocation and fraternity. These sessions will encourage young people not only to listen, but also to become active protagonists in dialogue and in drafting a “mission charter” to take back to their own countries.
Journalists are welcome to attend the events in Piazza San Francesco and in the square of Santa Maria degli Angeli, depending on the activities scheduled from 3 to 5 August.
The most eagerly awaited moment will take place on Thursday, 6 August, when His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will travel to Saint Mary of the Angels to meet the young participants and preside over the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in the Porziuncola, making his presence one of the defining moments of the entire Franciscan Centenary.
Among the featured speakers will be Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Franco Nembrini, Jacopo Trebbi, Fr. Claudio Burgio, Alessandro Sortino, together with many other friars, artists and witnesses from the worlds of faith, culture and society. The programme will also feature the final of FraGOspel, the music competition celebrating songs inspired by the values of the Gospel and the Franciscan charism, highlighting the creativity and artistic talent of young people.
The GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting is promoted by the Seraphic Province of Saint Francis of Assisi of the Order of Friars Minor, the Province of the Immaculate Conception of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis in Assisi of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, and the Diocese of Assisi – Nocera Umbra – Gualdo Tadino, in collaboration with the City of Assisi, with the support of the National Committee for the Celebration of the Eighth Centenary of the Death of Saint Francis, chaired by the poet Davide Rondoni, together with the University of Perugia, and with the support of ENI, the event’s official sponsor.
For further information and press materials:
Full press release: https://www.goassisi.org/it/comunicato-stampa/
Official website: https://www.goassisi.org/it/
Programme: https://www.goassisi.org/it/programma/
Facebook: facebook.com/goassisi/
Instagram: instagram.com/goassisi/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@goassisi
Press contact: info@goassisi.org
Link to the folder where media professionals can find photos, videos, and info related to GO! and the Holy Father’s visit https://bit.ly/CartellaStampaGOePAPALeone
ASSOCIATION VIE E CAMMINI DI FRANCESCO
IL “CAMMINO DI FRANCESCO” / THE “WAY OF FRANCIS”
The unified “Way of Francis” initiative is established, and its headquarters is inaugurated in Assisi
The unified initiative known as il “Cammino di Francesco” (the “Way of Francis”) has been established, and its headquarters will open in Assisi.
Among the main projects promoted by the National Committee for the Celebrations of the Eighth Centenary of the Saint’s death, il “Cammino di Francesco” has now been created. A partnership involving the Ministries of Tourism and Culture and the Regions of Umbria, Lazio, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Abruzzo is working to harmonize the experience of the various existing routes associated with the figure of the Saint.
Il “Cammino di Francesco” is the only itinerary that connects, in an organic and direct manner, the places where Saint Francis truly lived, prayed, and preached. This close historical and spiritual bond with the Saint of Assisi makes it a particularly valuable journey.
As a pilgrimage, its destination is the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi, and it is a spiritual path intended to revive the Franciscan experience in the lands once trodden by the Poverello. The historical and critical authenticity of the route, as well as its reference itinerary, has been identified following a rigorous validation carried out by the Association’s Steering Committee, composed by one representative of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) and two representatives of the Franciscan Families. The headquarters of the “Cammino di Francesco” will open in Assisi, beside the Porziuncola, on the afternoon of 6 August.
“From a patient process of collaboration,” – declares Davide Rondoni, President of the National Committee and of the Association Vie e Cammini di Francesco, “this unified vision has emerged in the form of a name, a logo, a website, and, step by step, as a harmonization of needs and possibilities. The Government, the competent Ministries, the Regions, public and private bodies, and the Associations involved in this collaboration will, over time, offer an experience increasingly suited to the needs of walkers of every kind, who wish to discover both the heart of our Patron Saint of Italy and their own hearts.”
Website: www.camminodifrancesco.it
