From July 26 to August 4, the coffin of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be venerated at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. This special occasion will be a key element during the Jubilee of Youth, which will be held in Rome from July 28 to August 3.
The transfer of his relics also leads up to Frassati’s canonization on September 7, when he will be declared a saint alongside Blessed Carlo Acutis in St. Peter’s Square.
Santa Maria sopra Minerva is one of the major Roman churches entrusted to the Dominican order.
A modern saint for a modern world
Born in 1901 in Turin, Pier Giorgio Frassati lived just 24 years — but what a life it was. A committed lay Dominican and university student, he combined a love for the poor with a deep spiritual life and a contagious joy.
He gave away his money, clothes, and time to the forgotten corners of his city, even while climbing mountains, organizing student protests, and praying daily.
He once said, “Charity is not enough; we need social reform” — words that captured his belief in faith as a force for justice.
Pier Giorgio died of polio in 1925, likely contracted during one of his many visits to the sick. At his funeral, Turin’s poor flooded the streets, revealing a life that had quietly touched thousands.
Beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, Frassati has become a patron for young people seeking to live their faith with courage and authenticity.
What is the Jubilee of Youth?
The Jubilee of Youth, running from July 28 to August 3, is a highlight of the Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, themed “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Young pilgrims from around the world will gather in Rome for prayer, fellowship, and celebration. Events include catechesis, cultural encounters, and a major gathering at Tor Vergata University — the site of World Youth Day 2000.
At the heart of this Jubilee is the desire to offer young people a living hope rooted in Christ. Pier Giorgio’s joyful witness, forged in everyday life and radical love for others, embodies that hope. His presence in Rome during this week serves as a living call to holiness that is real, practical, and profoundly joyful. The canonization of Pier Giorgio was originally scheduled to take place during this jubilee, however, Pope Leo decided to move it when he rescheduled the canonization of Carlo Acutis, which itself had to be postponed due to Pope Francis' death.
A pilgrimage opportunity
The transfer of Frassati’s coffin from Turin to Rome offers pilgrims and locals alike a powerful moment of grace. His remains will rest at Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a church with deep Dominican ties and a long tradition of devotion and scholarship.
From July 26 to August 4, the faithful can visit, pray, and draw close to a young man whose sanctity speaks powerfully to our time.
With the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis just weeks away, this summer in Rome becomes a chance to encounter the beauty of a life lived for others, rooted in Christ, and open to the world.
