Reinstated national holiday takes effect from 2026.Italy on Sunday marks the feast day of one of the country's two patron saints, Francis of Assisi, with a public holiday for the first time in almost 50 years.On Sunday morning, Italy's president Sergio Mattarella will attend Mass in Assisi in honour of St Francis. The Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and the government will be represented by Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, along with various dignatories. The national holiday, which the Italian state abolished in 1977 for economic reasons, was formally reinstated last year and will take effect from 2026. The bill to reinstate 4 October as a public holiday was passed comfortably by the Italian parliament, with the senate giving it final approval exactly one year ago. In addition to school and office closures, from 2026, cultural initiatives will be dedicated to Italy's patron saint and the values he embodied: peace, fraternity, inclusion and environmental protection. The move, which coincides with the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis, brings to 12 the number of national public holidays in Italy. The date falls on a Sunday in 2026, meaning that workers and students won't see any tangible difference until 2027 when there will be a long weekend in honour of St Francis. St Francis of Assisi One of the Catholic Church's most venerated saints, Francis of Assisi is one of Italy's two primary patron saints along with Catherine of Siena. Francis was born to a wealthy merchant family in 1181 but, after a dramatic conversion experience, he abandoned his privileged lifestyle to embrace a life of poverty, preaching and service. He is best known for founding the Franciscan religious order and is most associated with Assisi where his tomb is visited by pilgrims from all over the world every year. Francis viewed nature as a mirror of God, calling all creatures his brothers and sisters. His profound love for animals and his advocacy for peace and simplicity have made him a revered figure. Francis was canonised by Pope Gregory IX on 16 July 1228, less than two years after his death on 3 October 1226. Earlier this year, hundreds of thousands of faithful venerated the saint's bones which went on display in a glass reliquary in the Lower Basilica of San Francesco.

Italy on Sunday marks the feast day of one of the country's two patron saints, Francis of Assisi, with a public holiday for the first time in almost 50 years. On Sunday morning, Italy's president Sergio Mattarella will attend Mass in Assisi in honour of St Francis. The Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and the government will be represented by Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, along with various dignatories. The national holiday, which the Italian state abolished in 1977 for economic reasons, was formally reinstated last year and will take effect from 2026. The bill to reinstate 4 October as a public holiday was passed comfortably by the Italian parliament, with the senate giving it  exactly one year ago. In addition to school and office closures, from 2026, cultural initiatives will be dedicated to Italy's patron saint and the values he embodied: peace, fraternity, inclusion and environmental protection. The move, which coincides with the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis, brings to 12 the number of . The date falls on a Sunday in 2026, meaning that workers and students won't see any tangible difference until 2027 when there will be a long weekend in honour of St Francis. One of the Catholic Church's most venerated saints, Francis of Assisi is one of Italy's two primary patron saints along with Catherine of Siena. Francis was born to a wealthy merchant family in 1181 but, after a dramatic conversion experience, he abandoned his privileged lifestyle to embrace a life of poverty, preaching and service. He is best known for founding the Franciscan religious order and is most associated with Assisi where his tomb is visited by pilgrims from all over the world every year. Francis viewed nature as a mirror of God, calling all creatures his brothers and sisters. His profound love for animals and his advocacy for peace and simplicity have made him a revered figure. Francis was canonised by Pope Gregory IX on 16 July 1228, less than two years after his death on 3 October 1226. Earlier this year, hundreds of thousands of faithful venerated which went on display in a glass reliquary in the Lower Basilica of San Francesco.