A 13th-century fresco of St. Francis of Assisi by the Florentine painter Cimabue, one of the earliest depictions of the saint, is located in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy. / Credit: Jacob Stein/Crux Stationalis
Rome Newsroom, Oct 2, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
Italy’sSenateConstitutionalAffairsCommittee,deliberatinginsessionWednesday,Oct.1,approvedabillreinstatingOct.4,thefeastofSt.FrancisofAssisi,thepatronsaintofItaly,asanationalholiday.ThemeasurehadbeenapprovedinfirstreadingbytheChamberofDeputieslastmonth,withonlytwovotesagainst.
Oct.4willthereforebeapublicholidaystartingin2026,afterhavingbeenapublicholidayuntil1977.
“Iwelcomewithjoyandsatisfaction,”PrimeMinisterGiorgiaMelonicommented,“thenewsoftheSenate’sfinalapprovaloftheparliamentarybillreintroducing,after50years,Oct.4,thedayonwhichwecelebrateSt.Francis,thepatronsaintofItaly,asanationalholiday.Thegovernmenthaswholeheartedlysupportedthe[legislative]processofthebill,whichhastakenupandmadeitsowntheappeallaunchedayearagobyDavideRondon
