23
Sep 2026
Wed
Wednesday 23 September 2026 — General Audience · Thanksgiving pilgrimage of the Diocese of Rimini
10:00
St Peter's Square, Vatican City
🎙️ General Audience
Wednesday General Audience
📍 St Peter's Square, Vatican City
At 10:00, in St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV holds the Wednesday General Audience, continuing the cycle of catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council with a reflection on the third chapter of the first part of the pastoral constitution «Gaudium et spes», dedicated to human activity in the universe. The Pope recalls that «for believers one thing is certain: individual and collective human activity corresponds to God's intentions» (GS 34) and that technical-scientific progress, to become authentic human progress, must be «animated and guided by charity». Among the groups present is a delegation of around 400 pilgrims from the Diocese of Rimini, led by Bishop Nicolò Anselmi, who came to Rome to thank the Pontiff for his pastoral visit to the city on 22 August 2026 and for the opening of the new diocesan pastoral year. The group, which travelled in five coaches and numerous private cars, displays a banner in the square reading «Thank you, Pope Leo!» and presents the Pope with several symbolic gifts from the area, including a book on the Malatesta Temple, a ceramic work by the local Confartigianato association, a lifeguard's uniform, the mitre made for the August visit, and a red-and-white Rimini Calcio football jersey. All participants wear a light-blue cap to be recognisable as a group. At midday the pilgrims from Rimini take part in a Holy Mass in St Peter's Basilica presided over by their Bishop, who stressed his wish that the August visit «continue to generate life, prayer, communion and attention to people». The visit forms part of the diocese's preparations for the pastoral assembly scheduled for 4 October and the start of the new pastoral year. At the end of the catechesis, in his greetings in Italian, the Pope recalls that the following day, in Saint Louis, United States, Bishop Fulton Sheen is beatified, pointing to his example as an evangelizer through the media of his time. He then makes an urgent appeal for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (27 September), dedicated this year to migrant children: «I appeal to everyone's sense of responsibility: let each of us feel involved in the lives of these children, who must always be protected and assisted», denouncing the «violence, torture, exploitation, traumatic conditions» that many of them face along migration routes, where «not infrequently they lose their lives», and the dignity «too often trampled» even in the places where they arrive. There follow the apostolic blessing for the faithful and pilgrims present in the square, among them the Minister-President of the German federal state of Saxony.
Event detail →
🎥 Videos
General Audience of 23 September 2026, full video (Vatican News)
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General Audience of 23 September 2026, full video (Vatican News)
Live broadcast of the General Audience of 23 September 2026 (Le Jour du Seigneur)
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Live broadcast of the General Audience of 23 September 2026 (Le Jour du Seigneur)
📷 Photos
Pope Leo XIV in the popemobile in St Peter's Square during the General Audience of 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
Pope Leo XIV in the popemobile in St Peter's Square during the General Audience of 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
The Pope greets and blesses the faithful in St Peter's Square, 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
The Pope greets and blesses the faithful in St Peter's Square, 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
A moment from the Wednesday General Audience, 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
A moment from the Wednesday General Audience, 23 September 2026 (Vatican Media)
📰 Articles
📜 Speech text
General Audience - Gaudium et spes: human activity in the universe (tradotto)

Brothers and sisters, good morning! We continue our catechesis on the pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, focusing today on the third chapter of the first part, dedicated to human activity in the world. For believers one thing is certain: individual and collective human activity corresponds to God's intentions (cf. GS 34). Indeed, when man works, cultivates the earth, develops the sciences and technology, he does nothing other than bring to completion the plan of God manifested at the beginning of creation...

📋 Daily schedule
23
Sep
The Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office announces that Pope Leo XIV received in audience H.E. Michael Kretschmer, Minister-President of the German federal state of Saxony, with his entourage. The meeting takes place in the context of relations between the Holy See and the German Länder and comes a few weeks after the Pope, on 9 September, reaffirmed during a General Audience that human dignity «does not depend on the abilities» of the person, a passage read by several observers also in light of the recent political debate in Saxony.
The Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office announces that Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rev. Sílvio Pereira de Castro, of the clergy of the Diocese of São Miguel Paulista, Brazil, as Auxiliary Bishop of the same diocese, assigning him the titular see of Mauriana. Born on 4 February 1968 in Cianorte (Paraná) and ordained a priest on 18 February 2006, the newly appointed bishop studied philosophy at the São José diocesan seminary and theology at the Nossa Senhora da Penha seminary, graduating from the Pontifical Faculty of Theology Nossa Senhora da Assunção. Before his episcopal appointment he served as rector of the diocesan seminary of philosophy and theology.
11:30
23
Sep
The Holy See Press Office issues a notice convoking journalists for the press conference presenting the meeting «Ten years after Amoris laetitia: proclaiming the Gospel with families today», scheduled for Friday 2 October at 11:30. The meeting, promoted by the Pope with the Heads of the Eastern Churches and the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences, will take place in the Paul VI Audience Hall from 7 to 14 October, with the participation of some families, and will close on 14 October with the Holy Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV in St Peter's Square. The press conference may be followed in person or remotely, with online accreditation, and will be streamed on YouTube with simultaneous translation into Italian, English and Spanish.
🗓️ Upcoming events
2026-09-25
✈️ Departure for the apostolic journey to France
From 25 to 28 September the Pope visits Paris (Élysée Palace, UNESCO, Vespers at Notre-Dame), the prayer vigil with young people at Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz (interreligious meeting and reflection on Europe's roots). Motto of the journey: 'That the world may have life'.
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2026-10-01
📿 Rosary with children for peace
At 17:00, at the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, the Pope recites the Rosary with hundreds of children from Rome's schools and parishes, for the opening of the worldwide 'One Million Children Praying the Rosary' initiative, promoted by Aid to the Church in Need.
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2026-10-07
📖 Meeting on the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia
A meeting in the Vatican (7-14 October) convened by the Pope with heads of the Eastern Churches, presidents of Episcopal Conferences and several families.
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2026-10-08
🎓 Mass for the inauguration of the academic year of the Pontifical Universities
At 17:30, in St Peter's Basilica, the Pope presides over the Holy Mass for the opening of the academic year of Rome's Pontifical Universities and Institutions.
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2026-10-13
🌱 Presentation of the 'Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal' to Card. Czerny
At the Borgo Laudato si' in Castel Gandolfo, the Pope presents Cardinal Michael Czerny with the first sustainability medal named after him, established by Villanova University.
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2026-10-14
📖 Concluding Mass of the meeting on the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia
The Pope presides over the Holy Mass closing the meeting held on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
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2026-10-27
🕊️ To Assisi for the 40th anniversary of the Spirit of Assisi
Interreligious meeting promoted by the Community of Sant'Egidio for the fortieth anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace wanted by John Paul II in 1986.
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2026-11-06
✈️ Departure for the apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru
From 6 to 17 November the Pope visits Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Lima, with a special stop in Chiclayo, his former diocese.
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🔗 Official sources
📋
Bollettino Sala Stampa
press.vatican.va
📰
Vatican News
vaticannews.va
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Calendario 2026
vatican.va
📷
Vatican Media Foto
photo.vaticanmedia.va
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Video e dirette
YouTube · Vatican News IT
📜
Osservatore Romano
osservatoreromano.va