On Saturday 20 June 2026, Pavia will welcome Pope Leo XIV for a pastoral visit set to mark a historic moment for the city and its diocese. An intense afternoon that will touch some of the most significant sites in Pavia's historic centre — from the CNAO oncology centre to the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, from the Cathedral to an open meeting with the public in Piazza Vittoria.

The official programme of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Pavia

The Holy Father will depart from the Vatican at 13:00 and land by helicopter at the CUS Rugby Field in Cravino at 14:45. He will be welcomed by the Bishop of Pavia Mons. Corrado Sanguineti, the President of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana, the Prefect of Pavia Francesca De Carlini, the Mayor of Pavia Michele Lissia and the President of the Province of Pavia Giovanni Palli.

The visit to the CNAO

The first stop of the day is the National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO), reached by car at 15:00. Here the Pope will be received by President Gianluca Vago and Director Sandro Rossi. Pope Leo XIV will meet directors, medical staff and a number of children currently undergoing treatment, together with their parents — a gesture that underlines the Church's closeness to the most vulnerable and to scientific research in the service of life.

The stop at the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro

At 15:30 the Pope will transfer to the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, arriving at 15:45. At the Augustinian Fathers' Convent he will be received by the Prior General Father Joseph L. Farrell, the Provincial Prior Father Gabriele Pedicino and the Convent Prior Father Gianfranco Casagrande. After a brief meeting with the Augustinian community, the Pope will greet the Bishops of Lombardy and his collaborators in the cloister.

Inside the basilica, in the presence of the Lombard clergy, consecrated persons and permanent deacons, a Liturgy of the Word will take place with the veneration of the relics of Saint Augustine. The visit will conclude with an address by the Holy Father, before he leaves the basilica to greet the faithful gathered in the square outside.

San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro houses the remains of Saint Augustine and the tomb of Severinus Boethius — one of the most precious Romanesque basilicas in Italy, which on this occasion will once again draw international attention.

The entrance into the Cathedral and the passage through Piazza Duomo

At around 17:00 the Pope will travel by car to Piazza Duomo. On the Cathedral steps he will receive a floral tribute from children and greet the South American community in attendance. Inside, welcomed by the Members of the Chapter, he will pause in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and stop before the altar of Saint Syrus, first Bishop and Patron of the Diocese and the City.

The meeting with citizens in Piazza Vittoria

At 17:15 the Pope will leave the Cathedral and walk to Piazza Vittoria, where at 17:30 the moment most eagerly awaited by the public will take place: an open meeting with the citizens of Pavia. Following greetings from Mayor Michele Lissia and Bishop Corrado Sanguineti, Pope Leo XIV will deliver his public address. He will then greet a delegation of authorities and faithful before returning to the Cravino field, departing by helicopter at 18:45.

How to attend Pope Leo XIV's visit to Pavia

For the faithful of the Diocese of Pavia

The faithful residing within the Diocese of Pavia will be able to access reserved areas through their own parishes. Individual parish communities will manage the online booking of access passes according to procedures that the Diocese will communicate in the coming days.

For those coming from outside the diocese

For pilgrims and visitors travelling from outside the diocese, the Diocese of Pavia has set up a dedicated area equipped with a large screen, from which all moments of the papal visit can be followed live. This solution has been designed to ensure safety and full participation for the many pilgrims expected from other regional and national Church communities.

The organisational secretariat

For information and enquiries related to the visit, a dedicated organisational secretariat is now active. It can be reached by email at visitapapa@diocesi.pavia.it or by telephone at +39 0382.386512, Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 17:00.

The commemorative philatelic cancellation

Among the special initiatives linked to the day is a commemorative philatelic cancellation dedicated to the Pope's arrival. The Diocese has opened discussions with Poste Italiane for the production of a commemorative postcard with a religious-themed stamp and a specially designed postmark. On 20 June, a dedicated gazebo will be set up to allow the faithful and collectors to obtain the cancellation: the exact location will be announced by the organisers at a later date.

An exceptional event for Pavia and its territory

The visit of Pope Leo XIV represents an extraordinary occasion not only for the ecclesial community of Pavia, but for the entire provincial territory. Pavia, with its thousand-year-old religious and cultural heritage, is once again at the centre of an event of international significance, drawing pilgrims, visitors and media from across Italy and beyond.

For those discovering the city on this occasion, Pavia offers a historic centre rich in Romanesque churches, the Visconti Castle, the Certosa di Pavia just a few kilometres away and the banks of the River Ticino — a destination well worth exploring beyond the events of 20 June itself.

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