Olympic Cross Set to Arrive in Milan Ahead of Winter Games
The Olympic and Paralympic Cross will arrive in Milan on January 29 as part of preparations for the upcoming Winter Games, continuing a tradition that links major international sporting events with a spiritual moment of reflection. The Cross will be presented during a Mass at the Basilica of San Babila, which will serve as a focal point for athletes and visitors during the Games. The initiative is being coordinated by Athletica Vaticana, the official sports association of the Holy See, which has accompanied the Cross to host cities since the London Olympics in 2012. Church officials said the event is intended to highlight the human and ethical dimensions of sport at a time when Milan prepares to host athletes from around the world.
The Mass will be presided over by Mario Delpini, with the participation of Paul Tighe and representatives of Athletica Vaticana. The ceremony coincides with the eve of the Olympic Truce, a period endorsed by the United Nations that calls for the suspension of hostilities surrounding the Games. During this time, the Basilica of San Babila will function as the so called Church of Athletes, hosting liturgical celebrations and moments of encounter linked to the Winter Games. Organizers described the initiative as an opportunity to offer athletes and spectators a space for reflection amid the intensity and global attention surrounding the competitions.
The Cross was entrusted to Athletica Vaticana in June during the Jubilee of Sport, following a ceremony at St Peter’s Basilica attended by Pope Leo XIV. On that occasion, the Cross was carried through the Holy Door by Thomas Bach together with Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, marking its role as a symbol that accompanies sport across cultures and nations. The Cross itself was created for the London 2012 Games by English artist Jon Cornwall and is composed of fifteen different types of wood sourced from regions across the world, including the Holy Land, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, reflecting the global character of the Olympic movement.
Since its creation, the Olympic and Paralympic Cross has followed the journey of the Games, moving from London to Rio de Janeiro, where it was blessed by Pope Francis during World Youth Day in 2013, and later appearing at major international sporting and ecclesial events. Although public initiatives were limited during the Tokyo Games due to the pandemic, the Cross continued its pilgrimage through subsequent gatherings, including World Youth Day in Lisbon and its placement in Paris ahead of the 2024 Games. Its arrival in Milan is expected to mark another chapter in this ongoing tradition, linking sport, faith, and international encounter as the city prepares to welcome the Winter Olympics.
