“It is a blessing to be able to come to this sacred place today”, were the words spoken by Leo XIV after he had prayed silently on his knees before the tomb of St Francis in the lower basilica of Assisi. “As we approach the 800th anniversary of St Francis’s death, we have the opportunity to prepare to honour this great, humble and poor saint at a time when the world is in need of hope”, said the Pope at the start of his private visit to Assisi, which lasted less than two hours. His words were broadcast over loudspeakers. Then followed a half-hour meeting with Italian bishops in the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels. Outside, the faithful, armed with umbrellas due to the heavy rain that had characterized the morning, waited for the Pope’s arrival and greeted him as he left by car along the avenue that runs alongside the Domus Pacis. Before leaving, Pope Francis met with the community of Friars Minor of the Porziuncola. “He greeted us one by one and told us that
he will return to visit us in Assisi in 2026,
for the eighth centenary of the death of St Francis”, said Brother Luca Di Pasquale in conversation with some journalists: “The Pope confided to us that this was not his first visit to Assisi, and that he had come here to find peace. He said he was happy to return here dressed in white”. “I was struck by the fact that even though it was a brief meeting, Pope Leo paid attention to each and every one of us”, the friar concluded. Following the meeting with the bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Pope Leo XIV transferred to the stadium of Santa Maria degli Angeli for his departure to Montefalco. There, he celebrated Mass in the Monastery of the Augustinian nuns, and remained for lunch with them before returning by helicopter to the Vatican.
“I am happy to make my first stop, albeit a very brief one, in Assisi, a place of great significance for the message of faith, fraternity and peace that it conveys, which the world urgently needs”,
was the Pope’s salutation to the bishops behind closed doors. “We live in a time marked by divisions, both nationally and internationally”, was Leo XIV’s analysis: “messages and language of hostility and violence are often spread; the race for efficiency leaves the most fragile behind;
technological omnipotence compresses freedom;
loneliness consumes hope, while numerous uncertainties weigh heavily on our future”. “Proclaiming the Message of salvation, building peace, promoting human dignity, cultivating a culture of dialogue, and fostering a Christian anthropological vision”, are the ‘guidelines’ entrusted by the Italian Church, “so that
a truly synodal spirit may grow and mature in the Churches and among the Churches of our country”.
Among the papal recommendations, within the framework of a collegial Church “which shares common steps and choices”, was that of
“not to withdraw on the issue of diocesan mergers”,
albeit through a “careful discernment”, that can suggest “realistic proposals for some of the small dioceses that have scant human resources, to evaluate whether and how they could continue to offer their service”. “What counts is that, in this synodal style, we learn to work together, and that in the particular Churches we all make an effort to
build open, hospitable and welcoming Christian communities,
in which relationships are translated into mutual responsibility for the proclamation of the Gospel”, was the path suggested by the Pope, for whom “greater participation of people in the consultation for the appointment of new bishops” is needed. There were also references to “learning to say goodbye”:
“It is good to respect the rule of 75 years for the conclusion of the service of Ordinaries in dioceses and, only in the case of Cardinals, may a continuation of ministry be considered, possibly for another two years”.
According to Leo, the Church in Italy “can and must continue to promote an integral humanism, which helps and supports the existential journeys of individuals and society; a sense of humanity that exalts the value of life and care for every creature, that
intervenes prophetically in public debate to spread a culture of legality and solidarity”.
“The challenge posed to us by the digital universe must not be forgotten”, the Pope recommended: “Pastoral care cannot limit itself to “using” the media, but must
educate and dwell the digital world in a human way,
without losing sight of the truth behind the multiplication of connections, so that the internet can truly be a space of freedom, responsibility and fraternity”. “Walking together, walking with everyone, also means being a Church that lives among the people, welcomes their questions, soothes their sufferings and shares their hopes”, was the final image chosen by Leo. “Continue to be close to families, young people, the elderly and those who live in solitude”, the Pope explained, urging the Italian Church to continue to devote itself to caring for the poor and to pay attention “to the smallest and most vulnerable,
so that a culture of prevention of all forms of abuse may also develop”.
