Here are the activities that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, did for the month of January in the New Year 2026.
Legend:
Red text: Liturgical Celebrations
Blue text: Audiences and other commitments announced in advance
Orange text: Acts for special occasion
Green text: Apostolic Journey / Rest day
___________
January 2026
1.1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
10 am: Holy Mass in St. Peter's Basilica
12 nn: Angelus Domini
1.2 - Video message to the participants in the SEEK26 Conferences taking place in the cities of Columbus, Fort Worth, and Denver, United States (January 1-5, 2026).
A telegram of condolence that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent—on behalf of the Holy Father Leo XIV—to His Excellency Monsignor Jean-Marie Lovey, Bishop of Sion, for the victims of the fire in Crans-Montana (Switzerland)
1.3 - Audience for Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome, and Francesco Rocca, President of the Lazio Region.
7 pm: Evening concert in the Sistine Chapel by the Sistine Chapel choir; the choir sang various Christmas carols, improvised speech; recitation of the Pater Noster.
1.4 - 12 nn: Angelus Domini
1.6 - Solemnity of the Epiphany
9.30 am: Ceremony of closing of the Holy Door in the Vatican Basilica on the ending of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025; Holy Mass in St. Peter's Basilica concelebrated with cardinals, bishops, and priests.
12 nn: Angelus Domini in the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica
1.7 - 10 am: Wednesday General Audience in the Paul VI Hall
Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals; First Session in the Synod Hall. 155 Cardinals participated.
1.8 - 7.30 am: Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals; Holy Mass in the Altar of the Chair with the Cardinals
Morning Session; Lunch in Paul VI Hall; Afternoon Session during which the Holy Father announced another Extraordinary Consistory in June.
1.9 - 10 am: Meeting with the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on the occasion of his New Year greetings in the Hall of Blessings.
1.10 - Audience for Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, with his wife and entourage.
Audience for Cindy H. McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP).
Audience for Adrián Barbón Rodríguez, President of the Government of the Principality of Asturias.
11.30 am: Audience in the Paul VI Hall for the representatives of the organizations that collaborated for the Jubilee 2025.
5 pm: Meeting in the Paul VI Hall with the young people of the diocese of Rome; greeting the people gathered at the Petriano courtyard before entering the Paul VI Hall; during the meeting, the Holy Father listened to the testimonies from four young people before delivering his speech.
Letter to the General Ministers of the Conference of the Franciscan Family on the occasion of the opening of the VIII Centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.
1.11 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
9.30 am: Holy Mass in the Sistine Chapel, during which the Holy Father baptized 20 infants.
12 nn: Angelus Domini
1.12 - Audience for Matteo Rossi and Lorenzo Bugli, Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, and their entourage.
Audience for Davide Prosperi, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation.
Audience for Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Audience for the Members of the "Comissão Episcopal Pastoral para Ação Missionária e Cooperação Intereclesial" (Brazil).
Audience for María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize winner.
1.13 - Weekly rest at Castel Gandolfo
1.14 - 10 am: Wednesday General Audience in the Paul VI Hall
The Holy Father was presented with the mosaic of his papal portrait to be installed in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls.
1.15 - Audience for Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Audience for Tiziano Onesti, President of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome.
12 nn: Audience in the Hall of Popes for the relatives of the victims of the fire in Crans-Montana (Switzerland).
1.16 - Audience for the Bishops of Slovenia who came for an "ad limina" visit.
1.17 - Audience for Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Audience for Prince Albert II of Monaco, and his Entourage.
Audience for the Members of the Presidency of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)
Letter to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy on the occasion of the 325th anniversary of its foundation.
1.18 - 12 nn: Angelus Domini
1.19 - 9 am: Audience in the private library for the Ecumenical Delegation of Finland, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Henry
Audience for Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, with his wife and entourage.
11.15 am: Audience in the Clementine Hall for the Directors and Staff of the Inspectorate of Public Security at the Vatican.
11.45 am: Audience in the Hall of Blessings with the leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way.
1.20 - Message for the XXXIV World Day of the Sick.
1.21 - 8.30 am: On the Memorial of St. Agnes, in the Chapel of Urban VIII in the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father was presented with two lambs from whose wool the palliums for metropolitan archbishops will be made.
Audience for Masoud Barzani, former President of the Kurdish Region, and Entourage;
Audience for Jorge Fernando Ponce San Román, the new Ambassador of Peru to the Holy See.
10 am: Wednesday General Audience
Message sent by the Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of the Holy Father to the Fédération des Médias Catholiques on the occasion of the Saint François de Sales Meeting to be held in Lourdes from 21 to 23 January 2026
1.22 - In the presence of the Holy Father, 6 decrees from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints regarding a miracle for beatification, martyrdom, and heroic virtues were promulgated.
Meeting in the Bologna Hall for the Heads of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia.
Message to the participants in the March for Life 2026 in Washington, DC.
1.23 - Audience for Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg and their entourage.
Audience for the Bishops of Puerto Rico who came for an "ad limina" visit.
1.24 - Audience for Giuseppe Notarstefano, National President of Italian Catholic Action.
Audience for the Group of “Empresarios de Energìa”.
Message for the 60th World Communications Day.
1.25 -12 nn: Angelus Domini
5.30 pm: Second Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle.
Message for the 100th World Mission Day.
1.26 - Audience for the members of the Presidency of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil.
Audience for Bernhard Scholz, President of the Foundation of the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples.
Audience for Paolo Garonna, President of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation.
Audience for the members of the College of Prelate Auditors of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota.
11 am: Audience in the Clementine Hall for the Prelates of the Roman Rota on the occasion of the inauguration of the Judicial Year.
Audience for Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
1.27 - Weekly rest at Castel Gandolfo
1.28 - Audience for Luis G. Franceschi, Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Audience for Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania.
10 am: Wednesday General Audience
1.29 - Audience for Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and Entourage.
11 am: Audience in the Clementine Hall for the Participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
11.30 am: Audience in the Consistory Hall for the participants in the General Assemblies of the Societies of Apostolic Life of Regnum Christi.
The Holy Father made a surprise visit to the Peruvian Bishops who are having their "Fraternal lunch."
Message that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent—on behalf of the Holy Father—to His Excellency Msgr. Martin Waïngue Bani, President of ACERAC, on the occasion of the 13th General Assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central African Region.
Telegram that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent—on behalf of the Holy Father—to His Excellency Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan, on the occasion of the welcoming celebration of the Olympic Cross of athletes at the opening of the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games.
1.30 - 8.30 am: Audience in the Hall of Popes for the leaders and members of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network.
9 am: Audience in the Consistory Hall for the Bishops of Peru who came on an “ad Limina Apostolorum” visit.
Telegram that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent—on behalf of the Holy Father—to His Eminence Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, Bishop of Como, a text that was read during this evening's Eucharistic Celebration in the Vicariate of Bormio, with the athletes, volunteers, and sports clubs involved in preparing for the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina.
1.31 - Audience for Aidan Gomez, CEO of Cohere Inc.
Audience for Alessandro Cassinis Righini, Auditor General.
12 nn: Audience in the Clementine Hall for the participants in the “Political Innovation Hackathon: One Humanity, One Planet” meeting.
1 pm: Blessing of a mosaic dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the statue of St. Rose of Lima at the "Passeggiata Pio XII" in the Vatican Gardens in the presence of the Peruvian Bishops.
A telegram of condolence that Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin sent—on behalf of the Holy Father—to His Excellency Bishop José Ornelas Carvalho, SCI, of Leiria-Fátima & President of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, for the victims of Tropical Storm Kristin in Portugal.
