Rimini, August 22, 2026 – The Pope’s marathon today in Rimini and San Marino, here is the minute-by-minute program of Pope Leo XIV’s visit, 44 years after the historic passage of John Paul II.
The helicopter takeoff from the Vatican and arrival on Mount Titano
8:00 AM: at that time Pope Leo XIV will take off from the Vatican heliport to reach San Marino. The ancient Republic and Rimini await him to experience a historic day. The Pontiff’s arrival is scheduled for 9:00 AM at the Torraccia airfield, where the San Marino authorities, the Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva with a delegation will be waiting for him. Thus begins Leo’s day on our territory. From Torraccia, the Holy Father will reach San Marino City passing through the castles of Domagnano and Borgo Maggiore, then continue along the route that will lead him through Porta del Paese, Viale Antonio Onofri in Piazzetta Garibaldi, where he will complete the last stretch of the journey on foot to the Public Palace.
In Piazza della Libertà, at 9:45 AM, the Pope will receive military honors with the playing of the anthems. The Holy Father and the Captains Regent, after the presentation of the secretaries of state in the Public Palace, scheduled for 10:00 AM, will reach the Council of the XII room for a private meeting and the signing of the Book of Distinguished Guests. The more strictly institutional part of Leo XIV’s visit will continue with the meeting in the Great and General Council hall at 10:40 AM. The meeting will last just over half an hour.
The greeting to the faithful in the company of the Captains Regent
At 11:15 AM one of the most awaited moments by the people of San Marino is scheduled: Leo XIV will appear with the Captains Regent from the central balcony of the Public Palace for a greeting and blessing to the faithful in the square.
At 11:45 AM, still accompanied by the Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva, there will be a transfer to the Basilica of San Marino to pay homage to the relics of the holy founder and for a meeting with the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro: there the Pontiff will be welcomed by the bishop, Monsignor Domenico Beneventi, and by Don Marco Mazzanti, rector of the basilica.
Following will be the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the veneration of the relics of Saint Marino with the priests, consecrated persons, and representatives of the ecclesial life of the Diocese.
Immediately after, at 12:15 PM, the Pope will leave the basilica to greet the faithful in Piazzale Domus Plebis.
Then a transfer to the Torraccia airfield is planned: Leo XIV will say goodbye to the Captains Regent and the San Marino authorities and will leave the Republic by helicopter heading towards Pennabilli.
Lunch in Pennabilli with the Augustinian nuns
In a strictly private form, Leo XIV will visit the community of the Monastery of Saint Anthony of Padua of the Augustinian nuns in Pennabilli. It is a religious community that the Pope knows very well. Leo XIV was previously a guest of the Pennabilli nuns twice, in 2005 and 2009. At that time he was the Prior General of the Augustinians. Today there are 15 nuns living at the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Pennabilli, which has a very ancient history.
The first settlement of the nuns in the village of the Valmarecchia dates back to 1517. The community of Augustinian sisters was born later and has never left the town. “Now we can only say that it will be an immense joy to see Prevost again in the role of Pope.” During the stop at the convent, the Pontiff will have lunch with the nuns.
Some of the sisters are excellent cooks and artists: among the gifts for Leo there will be sweets and statuettes. In Pennabilli there will also be a public moment: at the end of the visit Leo XIV will appear from one of the convent balconies to give the blessing to the crowd gathered below the monastery.
Participation in the Communion and Liberation Meeting
After the stop in Pennabilli, the Pope will arrive in Rimini by helicopter landing at the Fiera heliport at 2:45 PM. He will be welcomed by the president of the Region, Michele de Pascale, the mayor of Rimini, Jamil Sadegholvaad, and the bishop Nicolò Anselmi.
With them, he will reach the West entrance of the Fiera: welcomed among the pavilions will be the president and vice president of the Meeting Foundation, Bernhard Scholz and Emmanuele Forlani, the other members of the Foundation’s board, Matteo Lessi, Letizia Paoli Bardazzi, and Giorgio Vittadini, and the president of the Communion and Liberation Fraternity, Davide Prosperi.
At 3:00 PM Leo XIV will visit the exhibition on Saint Augustine, then the one on Leon Harmel, then at the youth village a greeting to the Meeting participants is planned, followed at 4:00 PM by the meeting in the large auditorium with 10,000 seats.
The Pontiff’s speech will be broadcast in all rooms and spaces of the Fiera. Those present will have the opportunity to welcome and greet the Pope along the route that will lead him through the Meeting pavilions.
The meeting in the Cathedral with the poor and sick
The first appointment in Rimini’s historic center will be in the afternoon. After the visit to the Meeting at the Fiera, the Holy Father will arrive in the city (around 5:00 PM) and will travel by Papamobile the stretch from the Arch of Augustus to the Malatesta Temple passing through Corso d’Augusto, Piazza Tre Martiri, and Via IV Novembre.
Along the entire route it will be possible to watch the Pope’s passage from the public areas delimited by barriers and supervised by volunteers from Civil Protection and the Diocese of Rimini.
The area adjacent to the cathedral will be closed to vehicular traffic as per specific ordinance and will be accessible exclusively on foot.
Then one of the most significant moments of the Pontiff’s visit to Rimini: the meeting in the cathedral with the sick, disabled and poor assisted by Caritas.
Entry to the meeting in the cathedral is allowed exclusively to authorized invitees (vulnerable categories). Access will begin at 3:00 PM and must be completed at least 15 minutes before the arrival of the Holy Father (5:30 PM). People with disabilities or reduced mobility will access through the dedicated path arranged in the Curia courtyard. Once the maximum capacity of authorized persons to participate in the meeting with the Holy Father in the cathedral is reached, which should last 30-40 minutes.
The beach mass in front of 25,000 people
In the late afternoon, the second appointment in the city is scheduled: Pope Leo XIV will reach the port area for the Eucharistic celebration.
The streets involved in the passage of the procession for the transfer from the cathedral to Piazzale Kennedy (from about 6:00 PM) will be Via Dante, Via Roma, Via Tripoli, Piazza Marvelli, and Viale Vespucci up to Piazzale Kennedy, where the Pontiff will move by papamobile along the sea park, Lungomare Tintori, Via Busi, Via Cristoforo Colombo, and Via Destra del Porto, until arriving at Piazzale Boscovich, where he will preside over the open-air mass for the faithful (6:30 PM).
At the seaside, it will also be possible to watch the Holy Father’s passage in the Papamobile from the public areas delimited by barriers and supervised by volunteers from Civil Protection and the Diocese, accessible exclusively on foot. The passes to attend the beach mass sold out quickly: there will be 25,000 attendees.
At 8:00 PM the Pope will depart by helicopter from the port, and at 9:00 PM the return to the Vatican is scheduled.
