Pope Leo XIV sets September and October schedule, including trip to France
The Vatican has published Pope Leo XIV's liturgical calendar for September and October 2026, which includes a Mass for the care of creation at Castel Gandolfo, a four-day visit to France and a meeting in Rome of the presidents of bishops' conferences
Pope Leo XIV has published his schedule of liturgical celebrations for September and October 2026, which includes an apostolic trip to France and a series of events in Rome. The calendar was released by the Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations (Bureau des célébrations liturgiques pontificales).
On September 1 the pope will celebrate the Mass for the care of creation at 6:30 p.m. in the Garden of the Madonnina of the Borgo Laudato si', in the papal gardens at Castel Gandolfo. The Mass opens the Season of Creation, a world day of prayer aimed at raising awareness about protecting the environment. The next day, September 2, the pope will return to the Vatican for the general audience in St. Peter's Square at 10 a.m.
Apostolic trip to France
From September 25 to 28, the pope will make his fifth apostolic trip, traveling to France. He will go to UNESCO headquarters in Paris and will also visit the Stade de France, Lourdes and Metz, the birthplace of Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. The trip will include several liturgies and other events.
Meeting of bishops' conferences
The presidents of bishops' conferences from around the world will meet in Rome from October 7 to 14. The gathering marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of Amoris laetitia, the apostolic exhortation issued by Pope Francis.
The pope will close the meeting with a Mass on October 14 at 10 a.m. He announced the initiative on March 19. It is intended to encourage synodal dialogue on how to proclaim the Gospel to families today.
Genazzano and other celebrations
On September 7, the pope will travel to Genazzano, a town about 40 kilometers from Rome, where he will celebrate Mass at 6 p.m. at the shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel, a place of great devotion for the Augustinians. The visit comes just before the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
October will open with the Mass marking the start of the academic year at the pontifical universities, set for October 8 at 6 p.m. The pope will be at Castel Gandolfo for the last weekend of August, where he will take part in the boat procession on Lake Albano. On August 30 at noon he will pray the Angelus in the Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo.
