The “Cammino di Francesco – Il Cammino della Luce” is launched—a new project that brings together, in a single major route, the main pilgrimage routes dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi and the itineraries linked to the history of the Franciscan Order. The project was presented today in the Multipurpose Hall of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, in the presence of Marco Villani, Deputy Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Gianmarco Mazzi, Minister of Tourism; Pietro Cannella, Undersecretary of Culture; Davide Rondoni, President of the National Committee for the 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis; Davide Rondoni, and Father Francesco Piloni OFM of Assisi, a member of the Steering Committee of the “Vie e Cammini di Francesco” Association. The presentation of the initiative comes just a few days before Pope Leo’s visit to Assisi for the GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting and aims to connect the numerous routes inspired by the saint’s journey, offering a unified vision of Franciscan heritage.
The route spans 1,546 kilometers and includes main routes, alternative paths, and connecting routes that traverse Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Marche, Tuscany, and Umbria. All sections are walkable and converge on Assisi; they were identified based on a historical and scientific validation conducted by the National Committee for the celebrations markingthe eighth centenary of St. Francis’s death.
A further step in promoting the project is the inclusion of the Trail on the Italia.it platform, the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and the “Vie e Cammini di Francesco” Association. Thanks to the portal and the official Italian tourism app, travelers can access maps, itineraries, and dedicated content.
“With the launch of the Way of St. Francis,” said Minister of Tourism Gianmarco Mazzi, “Italy is enriched by a great spiritual itinerary that winds for over a thousand kilometers, passing through the places and values that have made St. Francis a global icon. We are launching this in the year marking the 800th anniversary of his death, the nomination of the Nativity scene for UNESCO World Heritage status, and the Pope’s visit to Assisi for a meeting with young people on August 6. It is Italy becoming a journey. It is the soul of the nation telling its story to the world through Francis. Spiritual tourism is a great opportunity for us. It is slow, widespread, sustainable tourism that is constantly growing—the kind most sought after by travelers. It brings people to villages, inland areas, and communities. It helps combat seasonality, creates jobs, and keeps local areas vibrant. For this reason, the Ministry of Tourism will increasingly commit to the ethical vision of spiritual pilgrimage routes. We are joined by Andrea Bocelli, who lent his voice to the Ministry of Tourism’s official public service announcement for the global launch of the Way of St. Francis.”
“Promoting the Way of St. Francis represents an investment in culture, slow tourism, sustainability, and regional development,” stated Pietro Cannella, Undersecretary for Culture. “St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy not only because of the greatness of his religious witness, but because he embodies values that are part of our country’s deepest identity. His love for creation, his closeness to the least among us, his dialogue with those who are different, and his choice of peace as a path to coexistence continue to speak to contemporary society as well. This is the most authentic meaning of this project: to unite places, institutions, and people around a shared heritage, making culture a tool for national cohesion and international dialogue.”
"After a patient effort—for which I thank everyone—one of the major projects to which, as President, I have committed the National Committee for the 800th Anniversary of St. Francis’s Death is now getting underway. Harmonizing the proposal for the Way of St. Francis is not only an act of respect toward all those involved—especially the walkers—but above all toward the Saint and Patron. It is better to have patrons in heaven than masters on earth, so that we may walk more freely and in peace,” added Davide Rondoni, president of the Association of the Way of St. Francis.
“The Way of St. Francis is not merely a geographical route,” emphasized Father Francesco Piloni, OFM of Assisi, a member of the Steering Committee of the Association of the Ways and Paths of St. Francis, “but an experience of profound inner transformation that, step by step, works within people and changes their perspective, revealing an unexpected horizon. Setting out today in the footsteps of St. Francis opens the way to receiving three great gifts:
The spiritual gift: An intimate and free space to be silent, to listen to oneself and to the Gospel, experiencing a simplicity that lightens not only one’s backpack but also one’s soul. Truly, those who seek themselves encounter God!
The environmental gift: A total immersion in the wonder of creation, which is no longer just a landscape to traverse, but a living call to care for our common home with respect.
The cultural gift: A slow and authentic encounter with a priceless heritage of art, history, and human relationships, preserved by local communities and villages.
To live in this world “as pilgrims and strangers,” learning to traverse time and space while leaving, along the way, indelible traces of beauty, justice, truth, and brotherhood.”
The Deputy Secretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Marco Villani, concluded: “I am fortunate to serve as Secretary of the National Committee for the celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis, an initiative strongly championed and supported by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Among the most significant initiatives promoted by the Committee—in addition to advocating for and facilitating the reinstatement of October 4 as a national holiday after nearly half a century— there is the Way of St. Francis, a spiritual, cultural, and human heritage that continues to convey the Saint’s message through earthly pilgrimage, travel, encounter, and fraternity. In the Saint’s profound humility, I see an outpouring of joy and a lesson that remains relevant today for those called to serve the common good: when commitment to institutions is guided by a sense of responsibility, prayer, and concern for others, it becomes part of a greater plan—a tangible witness capable of generating value for communities and for future generations; this is the commitment of the servants of the current government."
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| The Way of St. Francis is born—a major route that brings together the main pilgrimage routes dedicated to the saint of Assisi |
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