Italy has reinstated Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, as a national holiday, marking the return of a tradition absent since 1977
Newsroom (02/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) Italy’s Senate Constitutional Affairs Committee voted Wednesday to approve a bill reinstating Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, as a national holiday, marking the return of a tradition absent since 1977. The measure, which passed its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies last month with near-unanimous support, will take effect in 2026, restoring the day honoring Italy’s patron saint as a public holiday.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the decision, emphasizing its cultural and unifying significance. “I welcome with joy and satisfaction the Senate’s final approval of the bill reintroducing Oct. 4 as a national holiday,” Meloni said. “The government has wholeheartedly supported this legislative process, which responds to an appeal launched a year ago by poet Davide Rondoni, president of the National Committee for the Celebrations of the Eighth Centenary of the Death of the Poverello of Assisi.”
Meloni underscored the bipartisan backing for the bill, noting it as “an important sign of unity in politics around one of the most representative figures of our national identity.” She described St. Francis as “a saint beloved by all Italians,” adding that the holiday will serve as “an opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary man and remind us, every year, who we are and what unites us profoundly.”
The decision also drew praise from Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference. In a statement, Zuppi called the reinstatement “an opportunity to rediscover the figure of the patron saint of Italy, who has profoundly shaped the character of our country.” He highlighted St. Francis’s legacy of peace in a world marked by “divisions, growing international tensions, and a dramatic escalation of global violence.”
“St. Francis, whose primary goal was to proclaim peace, reminds us that a fraternal, unarmed world is possible, where everyone has their own space, starting with the poorest and most vulnerable,” Zuppi said. The archbishop of Bologna added that the saint’s life “can inspire political love and love for creation, so that the common good prevails over speculative logic, partisan interests, and polarization.”
Zuppi also noted St. Francis’s enduring global influence, stating, “By virtue of his faith, he initiated a religious experience that, through his descendants, now eight centuries old, has contributed greatly to improving the history of humanity in Italy and throughout the world.” He framed the holiday as a call to dialogue and fraternity, urging Italians to see others as “brothers and sisters” in the spirit of the saint.
The reinstatement of the holiday comes ahead of the 2026 celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s death, a milestone that has spurred renewed interest in his legacy. The bill’s passage reflects a rare moment of political consensus, with only two dissenting votes in the lower house, signaling broad support for honoring the saint known for his humility, commitment to peace, and love for creation.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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