Pope Leo XIV embarked on a historic pastoral visit to the Republic of San Marino and the neighboring Italian city of Rimini on Saturday. The journey aimed to relaunch his global message of peace and coexistence from the ancient Italian enclave, marking the first time a pontiff has visited San Marino in over 15 years. The trip also included a highly anticipated appearance at the Communion and Liberation Meeting in Rimini, one of the most prominent events for the Catholic world in Italy.
Arriving by helicopter at around 9:00 AM in the small city-state situated on Mount Titano, the Pope received military honors and held a private meeting with the Captains Regent, Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva. He then addressed the authorities in the chamber of the Grand and General Council. In his speech, he highlighted the unique role of the microstate, which has a population of about 35,000 and is recognized as one of the oldest republics in the world, with origins tracing back to the 4th century AD and a legal system in force since 1243.
"The Republic of San Marino can be a laboratory of good politics, where, without compromising the secular nature of the State, it is possible to draw on the principles of Catholic social doctrine: the pursuit of the common good, the universal destination of goods, the harmony between subsidiarity and solidarity, social justice," the Pope told the gathered officials. He invoked the traditional line of the Captains Regent, the highest authorities of the third smallest state in Europe, to renew his call for the "building of peace" and "esteem for diplomacy and multilateralism," while voicing his firm opposition to the "power politics of our time" that "trample" international humanitarian law. These themes have been central to Leo XIV's platform since his election just over a year ago.
Following his address, the Pope spoke to the faithful gathered in the central Piazza della Libertà from the balcony of the Palazzo Pubblico, the seat of the San Marino government. "I am truly happy to be here with you, to greet you, to savour the beauty, history, tradition and faith of this people of San Marino. Always remain united in this welcoming spirit," he said. The balcony appearance recalled August 29, 1982, when John Paul II became the first head of the Catholic Church to visit San Marino. His successor, Benedict XVI, later made a pastoral journey in 2011 to San Marino and other nearby Italian communities within the same diocese. This visit also follows another rare trip by Leo XIV last March, when he traveled to the Principality of Monaco, another European microstate measuring roughly 2 square kilometers, second in size only to the 0.5-square-kilometer Vatican City.
During his address in San Marino, the Pope emphasized that "freedom is fulfilled in encounter and dialogue," contrasting this with "political and economic projects that present themselves in the name of freedom, but in reality are enslaved to idols and to power." He also referenced San Marino's upcoming Association Agreement with the European Union, which is about to become operational. The Pope remarked that the republic "will find itself in a stable, if particular, relationship with a complex reality that will be able to draw great benefit from your contribution." In response, Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva stated, "Your Holiness, your presence rests upon our ancient history as a sign of light, renewing the deep bonds that, over time, have united the Holy See and our Republic."
The Pope then visited the Basilica of San Marino for a moment of prayer and to venerate the Relics of the Holy Patron. Addressing the ecclesiastical authorities of the diocese, he noted, "We live in a world wounded by many conflicts, where, with concern, we see growing violence, closed attitudes and fear of others. Faced with these disturbing trends, our only possible response is to walk with even greater conviction along the path of the Gospel." Afterward, he had lunch at the Monastery of Sant'Antonio in Pennabili, which is run by Augustinian nuns, the same order as Pope Prevost.
The Pope then traveled 25 kilometers to Rimini to attend the 47th edition of the Rimini Meeting, a gathering for friendship among peoples held annually since 1980. His participation in the event, organized by Communion and Liberation (CL)—a lay Catholic movement founded by Father Luigi Giussani—marks a historic milestone. The last Pope to attend the meeting was John Paul II in 1982, meaning Leo XIV is repeating the San Marino-Rimini itinerary exactly 44 years later.
Thousands of attendees lined up from Saturday morning at the gates of the Rimini exhibition center. The venue's 20,000-seat capacity was supplemented by giant screens for those unable to fit inside. Last year, the event recorded an attendance of 800,000 people. The opening of the meeting on Friday was marked by a message from Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who wrote, "We are living in a time when senseless wars are being fought while very narrow oligarchies accumulate powers greater than those of many sovereign states. Solidarity, social friendship and the gratuitousness of love can open up unprecedented horizons even for politics, the economy and civic life."
