The Provincial Minister of the Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia welcomes the Pope in Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli. He describes Assisi as a “blessed land” where young people share “faith, hope, and fraternity,” seeking ways to become actively involved rather than remain mere spectators.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV was welcomed to Assisi on Thursday by Fr. Marco Vianelli, Provincial Minister of the Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia, at the opening of the Pope’s meeting with young people in Piazza Santa Maria degli Angeli, in front of the Basilica that houses the Porziuncola.
The Franciscan friar described the Porziuncola as “a small and holy place,” deeply loved by the Poor Man of Assisi, and one that embodies the heart of “a blessed land where the Gospel continues to resound in simplicity, fraternity, and peace.”
Pope Leo greets crowds in Assisi (@Vatican Media)
Young people as active participants, not passive spectators
Marking the eighth centenary of the passing of the Poor Man of Assisi—who, on this very spot, on 3 October 1226, “welcomed Sister Death”—Fr. Vianelli referred in particular to the Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting 2026, which concludes today. “Thousands of young people from across Europe have gathered around the Porziuncola to share a journey of faith, hope, and fraternity.”
06/08/2026
Pope in Assisi: Build a civilisation of love, not division
At Santa Maria degli Angeli, the first stop on his pastoral visit, the Pope answers questions from young people and explains that Gospel radicalism is “the opposite of …
Credible witnesses to the Gospel
In conclusion, the Provincial Minister once again thanked the Bishop of Rome for his presence, describing it as a sign of “encouragement and support in helping us become credible witnesses to the Gospel.”
