At least twelve Italian bishops will participate this year in vigils organized for the “overcoming of homotransphobia”, a series of events promoted by Christian LGBT groups and supported by numerous dioceses, parishes, and ecclesiastical organizations in Italy.
According to La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, in the months of May and June, dozens of vigils and celebrations are scheduled in Italy and other European countries. The list, updated by Progetto Gionata, currently includes 47 events, many of them held in churches, parishes, convents, or spaces directly linked to Catholic dioceses.
Twelve bishops involved in the vigils
The most relevant fact is the increase in the number of bishops who will preside over or participate in these vigils. If in 2025 there were five, this year the figure already rises to twelve, more than double.
Among them are the bishop of Parma, Enrico Solmi; the bishop of Cremona, Antonio Napolioni; the archbishop of Florence, Gherardo Gambelli; the bishop of Fano, Andrea Andreozzi; and the archbishop of Pesaro, Sandro Salvucci. Joining them this year are the bishops of Padua, Rimini, Modena, Savona, Verona, Bari, and Forlì.
Episcopal participation is not the only striking element. According to the count by Progetto Gionata, at least 23 dioceses would have some kind of involvement in the organization, support, or sponsorship of these initiatives. Among them are major dioceses such as Milan, Bologna, Bergamo, Como, Catania, Cosenza, Agrigento, and Albano Laziale.
A phenomenon that already extends beyond the local sphere
Progetto Gionata presents these vigils as a path begun in 2007 in Florence, when Christian LGBT groups began to gather to pray against violence and discrimination. Almost twenty years later, these celebrations have spread outside Italy, with events also in Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Malta, Poland, Switzerland, and Ireland.
The motto chosen for 2026 is a quote from Isaiah: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name”. For the organizers, this verse expresses recognition, dignity, and identity.
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