From 2 to 7 November 2026, the General Curia of the Order of Friars Minor in Romehosted a gathering that brought together twenty friar artists from around the world: musicians, painters, iconographers, poets, and other creative practitioners. Some work with traditional art forms, while others explore modern and experimental approaches.
The gathering was facilitated by the Commission of Friar Artists, the General Office for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, and the General Secretariat for Missions and Evangelization. Building on the journey that begun in November 2025, it provided a space for prayer, fraternity, personal sharing and dialogue. Participants reflected on how to live out their artistic gifts as a vocation and place them at the service of the Gospel, the fraternity and the Church.
A reflection by Br. Marco Guida, entitled “The Beauty of the Peacock: Francis Speaks to His Brother Artists,” explored the relationship between beauty and humility, recalling that artistic talents are gifts to be received with gratitude and shared in service to others. The meeting with the Minister General, Br. Massimo Fusarelli, offered an opportunity to explore the relationship between personal vocation, fraternal life and mission, as well as the path the brothers are called to follow together.
We shared experiences with artists such as Tina Loiodice, an urban artist whose murals adorn many places across Italy, and Fr. Giovanni Berti, who shares his humorous cartoons on social media to convey the truths of the faith. Through an open dialogue, we learned what they seek to express through their art and how they understand the relationship between faith and contemporary artistic expression.
The programme included a guided visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, allowing participants to discover its history and appreciate its rich artistic heritage. This experience, together with the dialogue sessions, deepened their understanding of art as a path to encounter and spiritual expression. The brothers highlighted the contribution artists make to the Order’s evangelizing mission through their sensitivity to what often goes unnoticed and their ability to communicate the Gospel, reach out to a wounded world and inspire hope through beauty.
A significant outcome was the development of a proposal to be presented to the 2027 General Chapter, encouraging the Order to recognize, value and integrate artistic gifts into its evangelizing mission.
The gathering renewed a shared conviction: to practise art as Friars Minor means making beauty a place of encounter, creativity a form of service, and personal gifts a witness to the Gospel.
