Pope Leo XIV will take part in an interreligious prayer meeting for peace to be held in Assisi from October 25 to 27, 2026, marking the 40th anniversary of the historic gathering with Saint John Paul II. The Pope will arrive in Assisi on the meeting’s final day, October 27.
On October 27, 1986, John Paul II took part in the World Day of Prayer for Peace in the city in central Italy. According to Vatican News, it was the first time in history that a pope had invited representatives of all the world’s religions to pray together for peace. Among those inspired by that gathering was the Sant’Egidio Community, a Catholic lay organization that has promoted the “spirit of Assisi” every year since then, in Europe and beyond.
The local bishop, Felice Accrocca, welcomed the announcement of the Pope’s visit. “We are truly delighted by the Holy Father’s return to Assisi,” he said. “We firmly believe that the Pope’s presence, together with all the other religious leaders, can strengthen our shared journey against every form of violence.”
The religions’ role in peacemaking
This year’s gathering was presented on October 6 at the headquarters of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication. The program was presented by Marco Impagliazzo, president of the Sant’Egidio Community, who emphasized the significance of the legacy of the first gathering for interreligious dialogue today.
“A new and creative perspective on interreligious dialogue was born in Assisi. Over the past 40 years, that spirit has become a necessity in a globalized world,” Impagliazzo said. He described today’s world as “very frightened, filled with fear and torn apart, in the grip of nationalism and racism—a world that needs to be brought together again.”
He also emphasized the spiritual dimension of this unity: “If there is no spiritual unification of the world—and that is the message of Assisi and all religions—it will be difficult for men and women to unite and to consider themselves ‘brothers and sisters all,’ as Pope Francis would say.”
“A Disarmed and Disarming Peace”
The title of the 2026 gathering in Assisi, “A Disarmed and Disarming Peace,” is taken from the words of Pope Leo XIV. The gathering will once again highlight that peace is possible, as did the meeting with John Paul II 40 years ago and the commemoration of its 30th anniversary in 2016, which Pope Francis attended.
A total of 384 representatives of religions, cultures and institutions from 53 countries are expected to take part. The 24 thematic forums will include 155 speakers. Topics will include peace, prayer, the economy, conflicts, children and young people, the media, migration, disarmament and humanity, as well as Christian unity, dialogue in the Mediterranean, the poor and contemporary martyrs.
On October 27, the final day of the gathering, the Pope will pray for peace with the Christian community in the Lower Basilica. During this special prayer, both Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew will deliver meditations.
Afterward, according to Impagliazzo’s announcement, the Pope will deliver a message of peace to the world in the square in front of the Basilica of St. Francis. Impagliazzo concluded that such a message is “increasingly necessary.”
