Treviso celebrates the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi (1226–2026) with a detailed program of events that runs from January to October 2026, the month that epitomizes Franciscan themes. The symbolic date of the celebrations is October 4, the feast of Saint Francis, Patron of Italy, a recurrence that has been reintroduced as a national holiday starting in 2026.
The calendar offers a broad and transversal cultural and spiritual journey, including concerts, meetings, exhibitions, urban walks, and educational initiatives, addressing central themes of the Franciscan message such as peace, care for creation, sustainability, the economy, the value of work, and the spiritual dimension of existence.
The program opens on January 10 with the world premiere of the opera SoleLuna by Maestro Paolo Gasparin, inspired by the Canticle of Brother Sun, and continues in the following months with events dedicated to music, literature, art, and education, also involving schools.
Between September and October, the culminating moment of the celebrations is scheduled, with events of particular cultural significance and initiatives to enhance the complex of San Francesco, including the presentation of the first historical-artistic guide to the church. On October 4, 2026, the celebrations reach their peak with solemn religious services and the concert Cantica for Saint Francis, a work specially commissioned for the centenary.
