Assisi to Host Thousands of Pilgrims for 2026 Perdono di Assisi Celebration

From July 29 to August 3 2026, the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in the Porziuncola, Assisi, will welcome thousands of pilgrims for the annual Perdono di Assisi. The event marks the eighth centenary of Saint Francis’s death and includes a three‑day preparatory triduo, daily liturgies, a concert by the Guardia di Finanza band, the reopening of the ancient museum of the Porziuncola, processions, and a special Mass presided over by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime.

Earlier in June 2026, Assisi also hosted the 75th National Week of Pastoral Update (June 22‑25), where bishops highlighted a growing shortage of priests, declining baptisms, and the need for renewed lay involvement. Bishop Domenico Sigalini warned that many parishes may have only one priest for decades, urging confidence in lay and youthful participation in parish life.