This Saturday, August 8, San Marino will host the spiritual walk “St. Francis, Footsteps on Mount Titano,” an initiative blending faith, nature and history as part of the program marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi (1226-2026).
Participants will set off at 8 a.m. from the Church of the Suffragio, in Piazza Mercatale in Borgo Maggiore. The route will cross the Costa dell’Arnella before reaching San Marino’s historic centre, where walkers will stop at the Church of Meditation and Silence.
The program then includes a moment of reflection at the Church of St. Francis, featuring a communal reading of the Canticle of the Creatures. The walk will continue with a stop at the Basilica of San Marino and a crossing of the Three Towers, including free admission to the Church of Santa Barbara, located inside the First Tower, Guaita.
Participants are expected to return around 11:30 a.m. In the announcement, organizers explained that “this event is a bridge between spirituality, nature and culture, celebrating the beauty of Creation and the memory of St. Francis on Mount Titano.”
The initiative is part of the calendar of events titled “St. Francis and Freedom: 800 Years of Peace, Fraternity and Care for Creation,” which includes cultural events, conferences, pilgrimages, concerts, and philatelic and numismatic initiatives dedicated to the relationship between the Saint of Assisi and the Republic of San Marino.
The announcement also recalls that “during his journey, the Saint crossed Mount Titano, leaving behind a message of freedom, sobriety and peace — values that remain foundational for the community today.”
The entire celebratory program is supported and sponsored by the Secretariat of State for Tourism, which, as stated in the announcement, has “long been committed to promoting and strengthening spiritual tourism, including through projects and initiatives that highlight the network of Franciscan pilgrimage routes and the historical and religious heritage of the Republic of San Marino.”
