Vatican Plans Special Celebration for 10th World Day of the Poor with Pope Leo XIV

VATICAN CITY, November 14, 2026 : The Vatican is preparing a series of initiatives to mark the 10th World Day of the Poor, including a special Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, free medical services and a lunch hosted by Pope Leo XIV for approximately 1,300 people experiencing poverty and homelessness.

The Dicastery for Evangelisation will organise the Mass on 15 November, bringing together people in need for a special celebration of faith and solidarity. The lunch with the Pope will take place on 22 November, following his apostolic journey to South America.

As Pope Leo XIV completes his overseas visit, Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin, OSA, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, has been appointed to celebrate the Mass at St Peter's Basilica.

A lunch celebrating dignity and fraternity

The Vatican's special lunch on 22 November will include ice cream donated by Guttilla Gelateria and musical performances by the National Fanfare of the Italian Red Cross.

At the conclusion of the gathering, participants will receive personal hygiene kits donated by Procter & Gamble, providing practical assistance alongside the celebration.

The initiative seeks to welcome people living on the streets and those experiencing hardship as honoured guests, highlighting the Church's commitment to human dignity, fraternity and solidarity.

Free healthcare for people on the margins

A major feature of this year's observance will be the expanded services offered by the Vatican's Madre di Misericordia Clinic and San Martino Clinic.

Established in 2015 under Pope Francis, the Madre di Misericordia Clinic, together with the San Martino Clinic, which began operating in 2025, provides free medical consultations and medicines to poor and homeless people in Rome.

During the week of the World Day of the Poor, both clinics will extend their opening hours to offer general and specialist consultations, cancer screenings, influenza vaccinations and blood tests.

According to Dr. Massimo Ralli, undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, an additional examination room has also been introduced to increase the clinics' capacity.

The facilities are particularly important for people without identity documents who cannot access Italy's public healthcare system.

Medical care through volunteer service

Around 120 volunteers, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses and technicians, support the clinics across 26 medical specialities.

Their services include cardiology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology and dental care. Assistance is also provided for dentures and spectacles, helping people overcome health difficulties that can affect their employment opportunities and everyday lives.

Welcoming rather than excluding

As the Church celebrates the 10th World Day of the Poor, the initiatives reaffirm its responsibility towards vulnerable communities.

Recalling the words of St. John Paul II, the Vatican emphasises that the poor are not a problem to be solved, but people to be welcomed and loved.

Through prayer, healthcare and practical assistance, the celebration seeks to demonstrate that compassion and solidarity must remain at the heart of Christian life.

Courtesy : EWTN