Pope Francis is set to sign a new encyclical, the third of his pontificate, on October 3, eve of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The Vatican announced on September 5 that the encyclical is titled “Fratelli tutti,” or “All Brothers,” and will focus on the theme of human fraternity and social friendship.
The Holy See Press Office said Pope Francis will offer a Mass at the tomb of St. Francis in Assisi privately at 3 p.m. before signing the encyclical on the day before St. Francis’ feast day.
Human fraternity has been an important theme for Pope Francis in recent years.
In Abu Dhabi the pope signed “A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” in February 2019.
Pope Francis’ message for his first World Day of Peace as pope in 2014 was “Fraternity, foundation and pathway for peace.”
Pope Francis’ previous encyclical, Laudato si’, published in 2015, had a title taken from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Sun” prayer praising God for creation.
Prior to that he published “Lumen Fidei,” an encyclical begun by Pope Benedict XVI.
The beatification of Carlo Acutis will take place in Assisi the following weekend, and the “Economy of Francis” economic summit is also scheduled to take place in Assisi in November.
