Only one day remains before Pope Leo XIV’s visit to San Marino and Rimini. On Saturday 22 August, the pontiff will be at the centre of a day linking the Titano with the Riviera, featuring a packed schedule of institutional and religious engagements alongside meetings with the community. With his arrival just hours away, the organisational machine is now fully in place: enhanced security, traffic changes, access controls, medical stations and an extensive operation to manage the thousands of people expected.
The visit will begin early in the morning. Pope Leo XIV will depart from the Vatican at 8am and land at the Torraccia airstrip in San Marino at around 9am. From there, his route will take him across Sammarinese territory, passing from Torraccia towards Domagnano, Borgo Maggiore and the historic centre.
Arrival on the Titano and meeting with the Captains Regent
The heart of the first part of the day will be the City of San Marino. Piazza della Libertà will host military honours and the meeting with the Captains Regent (Capitani Reggenti), alongside the visit’s key institutional moments.
Leo XIV’s arrival marks one of the most significant events for the Republic in recent years, inevitably recalling the visit of Benedict XVI on 19 June 2011, when Joseph Ratzinger travelled to San Marino and subsequently to the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro.
One of the central moments will take place at the Basilica del Santo, known as the Pieve, which has around 680 seats available, while Piazza della Libertà will be able to accommodate more than 1,100 people. The entire historic centre will be subject to an exceptional organisation of access points and movement.
San Marino on lockdown: red zone and checks along the route
On the security front, the operation is coordinated by the Sammarinese Gendarmerie and will involve the Republic’s law enforcement forces, with support from the Italian State Police.
Particular attention will be paid to the historic centre, where a red zone will be established, with regulated access and reinforced checks. Security stations will also be deployed along the pontiff’s route, from his arrival at Torraccia through to the City.
The measures will also affect road traffic. Ordinance 213/2026 governs the traffic changes needed to allow the papal procession to pass and to ensure the safety of those present. Residents and visitors alike will therefore need to take into account the closures and restrictions in place across the various areas along the route.
Health services also reinforced
Alongside security, an extraordinary health service plan has been arranged. The Institute for Social Security (Istituto per la Sicurezza Sociale) will keep the hospital and local health facilities operational and, in coordination with the authorities, has arranged dedicated emergency teams and vehicles for the papal visit.
These measures mirror those adopted for the most significant institutional occasions, but have been further strengthened given the exceptional nature of the event. Normal healthcare services will continue to be guaranteed, although patients are advised to take note of traffic changes and the resulting difficulties in getting around.
Then on to Rimini
Once the San Marino leg concludes, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Rimini, where the second part of the day will unfold. On the Riviera too, a complex organisational operation has been in preparation for weeks, coordinated by public security authorities.
Rimini’s prefect, Giuseppina Cassone, described the visit as “an event of exceptional importance.” The plan includes inter-agency coordination, checks, crowd management and specific measures in the areas affected by the pontiff’s route and scheduled engagements.
One of the most significant moments will take place at the Cathedral, where Leo XIV will also meet the most vulnerable members of the community. It is an appointment with a strong pastoral character, underlining that the visit will not be purely institutional and liturgical.
The grand celebration at the port
Attention will then turn to Rimini’s port, the setting for the major celebration expected to draw the faithful from across the diocese and beyond.
The numbers are striking on the musical front too. A special ensemble of 650 choir members and 115 musicians has been formed for the occasion, joined by around 100 technicians and volunteers. In total, more than 800 people will be involved in the musical and organisational effort behind the celebration.
At the Cathedral, meanwhile, the Diocese’s Ecumenical Choir and the Mondaino Young Orchestra will take centre stage, with rehearsals held in the days leading up to the event to prepare for a day of exceptional organisational complexity.
Thousands expected between San Marino and Rimini
The visit will inevitably have an impact on travel. Thousands of faithful, pilgrims and visitors are expected between the Titano and Rimini, on a day that coincides with one of the busiest weekends of the summer.
In the Rimini area, the event also falls during a period already marked by high tourist numbers. After a mid-August period (Ferragosto) with hotel occupancy above 95%, the second half of August is also benefiting from the draw of the Rimini Meeting and the pontiff’s arrival.
For those planning to attend the various events, authorities continue to advise travelling well in advance, making use of dedicated services where possible, and checking closures, routes and access arrangements beforehand.
The wait is almost over
After weeks of preparations, technical meetings, site inspections and rehearsals, San Marino and Rimini have entered the final 24 hours of anticipation. On Saturday morning, with the arrival of the papal helicopter at Torraccia, a day set to involve two territories and thousands of people will begin.
From Piazza della Libertà to the Basilica del Santo, from San Marino’s historic centre to Rimini’s Cathedral, all the way to the grand celebration at the port, 22 August will be marked by meetings, prayer and institutional engagements. Around the pontiff, an operation made up of law enforcement officers, medical staff, volunteers, technicians, musicians and workers will be at work, tasked with managing one of the most complex and widely attended events of the summer between San Marino and the Riviera.
