The Vatican has released the official calendar of papal liturgies for January and February, offering an early picture of the spiritual rhythm that will define the opening months of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. The schedule outlines a series of major celebrations tied closely to the liturgical year, underscoring continuity with longstanding traditions while situating the new Pope firmly within the Church’s public worship life. In the coming weeks, the Pope will preside over key moments that draw together themes of unity, consecration, and penitence. These liturgies are expected to attract significant participation from clergy, religious communities, and the faithful, particularly as attention remains focused on how the new pontificate expresses its priorities through prayer and symbolism rather than policy statements or administrative changes.
The first major celebration will take place on January 25, when Pope Leo XIV travels to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls to preside at Second Vespers for the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul. The liturgy will conclude the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an observance that carries added resonance amid ongoing global divisions. The choice of location and timing reflects a continued emphasis on unity as a spiritual rather than political project, grounded in shared faith rather than negotiation. By presiding personally at this celebration, the Pope places ecumenical prayer among the visible priorities of the early pontificate, reinforcing the symbolic weight of Rome’s ancient basilicas in shaping the Church’s universal message.
On February 2, the Pope will celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at the Basilica of Saint Peter, coinciding with the World Day of Consecrated Life. The observance draws attention to religious life at a time when many orders face demographic decline and renewed questions about mission. The liturgy offers a moment of public affirmation for consecrated men and women, situating their vocation within the broader life of the Church rather than at its margins. As with other elements of the calendar, the celebration reflects a pattern of reinforcing established ecclesial structures through visible papal presence, rather than introducing new initiatives during the initial phase of leadership.
The liturgical season will turn toward penitence on February 18 with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. Pope Leo XIV will follow a restored Roman tradition by beginning at the Church of Sant’Anselmo before processing to the Basilica of Santa Sabina for Mass and the imposition of ashes. Later in the month, the Pope will enter the customary Lenten Spiritual Exercises together with the Roman Curia, scheduled to take place in the Apostolic Palace. The sequence of events highlights a pontificate that signals attentiveness to prayer, discipline, and continuity, setting a measured and familiar tone for the months ahead.
