Italian St. Francis 800th anniversary celebrations

In late July and early August 2026, Italian towns marked the eight-centenary of Saint Francis of Assisi with a series of cultural events. On 2 August, the bronze sculpture ‘San Francesco e il lupo’ by Ugo Riva was installed at the Eremo delle Celle in Cortona. Part of the ‘Sculture – Nuovi segni’ pilgrimage route, the work features a corten-steel base inscribed with ‘O Signore | fai di me strumento | della | pace.’ Simultaneously, the 4D Teatro network launched the ‘Canti.Co’ series in Mantua and surrounding areas, including a performance of ‘Creatura’ at Palazzo Te, to explore themes of the sacred and profane.

Two days later, the Rocca Maggiore in Assisi opened the ‘Franciscus, Fratello’ exhibition. Curated by Father Antonio Spadaro of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, the show features Michelangelo Pistoletto’s works, connecting his ‘Third Paradise’ concept with spiritual and social responsibility. On 6 August, the town of Busca hosted the stage show ‘Francesco’ as part of the Attraverso Festival, featuring narration and music by Aldo Cazzullo and Angelo Branduardi.

Concluding the major scheduled events, Assisi hosted the international Madonnari street art event, ‘Francesco nell’arte dei Madonnari,’ from 28 to 30 August. More than 50 international artists utilized colored chalks on eco-friendly linoleum supports in the lower square of the Basilica of Saint Francis to create 40 individual works. This included a 50-square-meter collective masterpiece titled ‘The Vision of Saint Francis,’ designed by 3D pavement art inventor Kurt Wenner. The monumental piece depicts Franciscan heritage through figures such as Popes John Paul II and Francis, Saint Clare of Assisi, and Carlo Acutis, concluding with the greeting ‘Pax et bonum.’ These works are scheduled to be exhibited in Assisi during the Christmas season.