From the 17th to 19th April 2026, the city of Florence, Italy, will host the third edition of Francesco Live, the Franciscan meeting born from the collaboration of the Friars of the Province of St. Francis Stigmatised and the Department of Youth Policies of the Municipality of Florence.
The 2026 edition represents the culmination of a journey that began in 2024 on the occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the Stigmata of St. Francis: young people were involved in the path "From wounds to new life", learning to read pain not as an end, but as a loophole.
In 2025, the reflection shifted to the Canticle of the Creatures, focusing on integral ecology and care for our common home.
This year, in memory of the Eighth Centenary of the meeting between Francis of Assisi and "sister bodily death", the baton passes to the theme Beyond the limit: peace. An invitation not to fear the boundaries of existence, but to live them as a "transit" towards a peaceful awareness.
From the Salone dei Cinquecento to the Basilica of the Holy Cross, the 2026 programme includes three days of emotional and intellectual "shocks", with artistic performances, debates, interactive workshops, prayer, meetings and testimonies. Some moments will be open to young people, others to all citizens, such as the great invocation for peace to be held on the 18th April at 6.30 pm in the churchyard of the basilica of San Miniato.
A great novelty for this year's edition will be the "Listening Space": between the Arengario of Palazzo Vecchio and the historic churchyards, professionals will welcome free of charge anyone who wants to deposit what "weighs inside".
"In a society that measures value only on performance and self-sufficiency, we want to remind young people that fragility is an integral part of the human being. Francesco Live is not an event to watch, but an experience to inhabit. Like Francis 800 years ago, we want to show that sharing one's limit is not weakness, but an act of courage that opens up to a new start. Francesco Live will be an opportunity to discover that you don't have to carry everything alone," says Br. Matteo Brena, OFM, coordinator of the organisational team made up of members of the Tuscan Franciscan Family.
"Faced with a dramatic international scenario - underlined the Councillor for Youth Policies of the Municipality of Florence, Letizia Perini - we need to rediscover, especially for the youngest, words of hope, peace and respect for every creature. Franciscan hope is not naïve optimism but is born in the ability to find joy even in difficulties, overcoming the temptation of cynicism and resignation. St. Francis invites young people not to conform to the logic of the world, often superficial or selfish, but to choose the path of inner freedom and service to others. Replacing cynicism with active hope is possible, as demonstrated by many young people gathered to retrace the thought and teaching of the Saint of Assisi and committed to building a better world".
For more information and registration, visit the website www.francescolive.it