Celano to host Beato Tommaso da Celano Prize in October 2026

The city of Celano will host the official ceremony for the ‘Premio Beato Tommaso da Celano’ on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The event will take place at 4:00 PM in the Council Hall of the Celano Municipal Palace.

The award recognizes individuals who have contributed to the cultural understanding and promotion of Saint Francis of Assisi and his legacy through their intellectual work. This year’s recipients include poet Davide Rondoni, President of the National Committee for the 800th Anniversary Celebrations of the Death of Saint Francis of Assisi; Dr. Marco Villani, Vice Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers; theologian and writer Don Luigi Maria Epicoco, who will present his book ‘San Francesco prima del mito’; and actor Corrado Oddi, star of the film ‘Parola di Tommaso’.

The ceremony concludes a series of events honoring Saint Francis and Blessed Thomas of Celano, the first hagiographer of the patron saint of Italy. This follows the May 2026 unveiling of a monumental statue of Saint Francis in Celano as part of the ‘Sculture – Nuovi Segni’ project.