On Saturday, 22 August 2026, Pope Leo XIV will visit the Republic of San Marino and the Adriatic city of Rimini. It is the first pastoral visit to Emilia-Romagna by the new Pontiff who has been in office since May 2025, and only the second time a pope has attended the Meeting per l'Amicizia fra i Popoli, following John Paul II's visit 44 years ago.
The programme on 22 August
As the Vatican's Sala Stampa has published in its official programme, the day is tightly scheduled. At eight o'clock in the morning, the papal helicopter departs from the Vatican heliport. An hour later it lands at the Aviosuperficie di Torraccia in the Republic of San Marino, followed by a transfer to the Piazza della Libertà. At the Palazzo Pubblico, Leo XIV will meet the Segretari di Stato and hold a private colloquium with the Capitani Reggenti, the two heads of state of the Republic elected for a six-month term. After signing the book of honour, there will be a meeting with the Consiglio Grande e Generale and a few words of greeting from the central balcony of the Palazzo Pubblico.
At 14:45, the helicopter lands on the grounds of the Fiera di Rimini. Two exhibitions are on the Pope's programme: one dedicated to Augustine of Hippo, to whom the Pontiff, himself a member of the Augustinian Order, feels a spiritual kinship, and one devoted to the French social reformer Leon Harmel. Following a visit to the Villaggio Ragazzi, the children's and youth section of the Meeting, the address in the Grande Auditorium takes place at 16:00. The auditorium has been specially arranged for the occasion with 10,000 seats. At 17:30, the Pope meets the sick, people with disabilities and those assisted by Caritas at Rimini Cathedral. At 18:30 he celebrates Holy Mass on the Piazzale del Porto. The visit concludes at 20:00, and Leo XIV returns to the Vatican at 21:00.
The Meeting Rimini as the setting
The papal visit falls during the 47th edition of the Meeting per l'Amicizia fra i Popoli, which takes place at the Fiera di Rimini from 21 to 26 August 2026. The motto of this year's edition, as formulated by the organiser Comunione e Liberazione, is "L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle", "The love that moves the sun and the other stars", the final line of Dante Alighieri's Divina Commedia. Since 1980, the Meeting has been one of Italy's largest cultural and religious gatherings, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants each year from the Church, politics, academia and the arts.
For the papal appearance , the organisers have created a dedicated auditorium space within the Fiera grounds with 10,000 seats. The address will also be broadcast to all halls and public areas of the Fiera. Those wishing to see the Pope in person will have the opportunity to greet him along his route through the pavilions.
44 years after John Paul II
Historically, the visit is exceptional. As Bologna's Resto del Carlino has noted, the last pope to attend the Meeting Rimini in person was John Paul II, 44 years ago. At that time, the Meeting was still in its early years; today it is an internationally recognised institution. The organisers regard Leo XIV's visit as a historic moment, and attention extends well beyond Church circles. Bernhard Scholz, President of the Fondazione Meeting, has described the papal visit as a source of great joy and emphasised the event's broad appeal across all age groups, from children and young people to younger and older families.
Further guests and the political context
Traditionally, the Meeting Rimini also serves as a platform for political debate in Italy. For the 2026 edition, a number of prominent figures have confirmed their attendance alongside Pope Leo XIV, following announcements made in early July: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, as well as Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani. From the Italian Cabinet, those expected to attend include Andrea Abodi, Marina Calderone, Alessandro Giuli, Francesco Lollobrigida, Matteo Piantedosi, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Adolfo Urso, Giuseppe Valditara and Paolo Zangrillo. From a European perspective, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, is announced for Wednesday, 26 August, as is the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto.
What travellers in the region should know
Travellers spending time in the Rimini region or in San Marino during this week should expect noticeable security measures and traffic restrictions. Large parts of the Fiera di Rimini and the city centre will be closed off or under heightened police supervision on 22 August. Holy Mass at the Piazzale del Porto is expected to draw tens of thousands of the faithful, many of whom will be arriving in Rimini the day before or early on Saturday morning. Those travelling via Rimini's Federico Fellini Airport or through Bologna during this period should allow for increased congestion on both trains and roads. Travel between San Marino and Rimini will in any case be busier than usual that week, as the Meeting brings additional visitors to the region in the weeks following Ferragosto. Those visiting the area who are not attending the Meeting will find a quieter approach to the city's history and architecture in Rimini Cathedral and in the churches around the Piazza Tre Martiri.
