Assisi: Pope Leo XIV is set to travel to Assisi on Thursday, 20 November, to mark the conclusion of the 81st General Assembly of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI). The four-day gathering, hosted at the Domus Pacis in Santa Maria degli Angeli from 17 to 20 November, brings together bishops from across Italy to deliberate on the Church’s pastoral priorities, safeguarding measures, and the future of Catholic education.
The closing session will take place at 9:30 a.m. local time in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where the Pope will meet the assembled bishops, symbolizing the culmination of the assembly’s discussions.
The Assembly opened on Monday, 17 November, with an address by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the CEI. Over the course of the meeting, bishops have reflected on insights from the recently concluded Synodal Path of the Churches in Italy, aiming to shape pastoral strategies for the coming years. These initiatives will be further refined and ratified at the next General Assembly in May 2026.
Key items on the agenda include the approval of the document “Teaching Catholic Religion: A Laboratory of Culture and Dialogue” and the presentation of “Educating for Peace”, both highlighting the Church’s commitment to nurturing faith, dialogue, and social responsibility.
The Assembly will also feature two special moments of prayer. On Tuesday, 18 November, Archbishop Ivan Maffeis of Perugia-Città della Pieve will lead a prayer for victims and survivors of abuse, while on Wednesday, 19 November, Cardinal Zuppi will preside over a prayer for peace. Both ceremonies will be held at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, reinforcing the assembly’s spiritual and pastoral focus.