Bill

National feast of St. Francis approved: economic impact and additional holiday in the pay packet

The Senate approves the feast of St Francis as a bank holiday, with economic benefits for civil servants. Analysis on the financial implications and institutional celebrations

by Rome Editorial Staff

23 September 2025Aggiornato il 1 ottobre 2025 ore 16:00

CAMERA DEI DEPUTATI, AULA INFORMATIVA DEI MINISTRI DELLA GIUSTIZIA E DEGLI INTERNI SUL CASO ALMASRI

4' min read

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Versione italiana

Key points

Meloni: "Joy at reintroduction of party, united politics"
Senate vote for final go-ahead
Status changed several times over the years
Extra wages
The Government's No to St. Joseph's Day National Holiday
[Insert key point].

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The feast day of St Francis, 4 October, becomes national, like May Day or other holidays. The bill A.C. 2097-2231-A received the final OK of the Senate. The president of the Commission Alberto Balboni, speaking to reporters, emphasised the "symbolic value" of the final yes before 4 October, even though the law will apply for the first time in 2026 since it still has to be published in the Official Gazette.

In Montecitorio the proposal, presented by Noi Moderati, obtained bipartisan support from the deputies with 247 votes in favour, 8 abstained and only 2 against. The goal is still to get the final go-ahead from the Senate close to the celebration of the eighth centenary of his death in 2026. The day of 4 October is currently considered a civil solemnity, but the specific regulations for its celebration have been amended several times over the years.

The law adds this date to the national holidays on the calendar after the August bank holiday, with all the stipulated effects (observance of the full bank holiday schedule in the workplace and the prohibition of certain legal acts).

Meloni: 'Rejoice at reintroduction of party, united politics'

"I welcome with joy and satisfaction the news of the final approval in the Senate of the parliamentary bill that reintroduces after 50 years as a national holiday 4 October, the day on which we celebrate Saint Francis, Patron Saint of Italy". Premier Giorgia Meloni declared in a note. "The government," Meloni continued, "has wholeheartedly supported the proposal, which has taken up and made its own the appeal launched a year ago by Davide Rondoni, poet and president of the National Committee for the celebrations for the eighth centenary of the death of the Poverello d'Assisi. The bipartisan and almost unanimous support for the proposal is an important sign of the unity found in politics around one of the most representative and distinctive figures of national identity. A Saint loved by all the Italian people and in whom all the Italian people recognise themselves. The National Day will be an opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary man and remind us, every year, who we are and what unites us deep down,' the Prime Minister concluded.

The text is the result of the synthesis of two bills (A.C. 2097 and A.C. 2231) both of parliamentary initiative. During the referential examination, the Constitutional Affairs Committee of Montecitorio adopted A.C. 2097 as the basic text. The text consists of three articles that respectively regulate the institution of the national holiday on 4 October - the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Francis - the institutional celebrations planned for the occasion, and the related financial and final provisions. 4 October will fall on a Sunday next year, already a holiday in itself, so the new 'status' will be 'experienced' from 2027.

Status changed several times over the years

The day of 4 October is currently considered a civil solemnity, but the specific discipline regarding its celebration has been modified several times over the years. In particular, the civil solemnity of 4 October in honour of Italy's special patron saints St Francis of Assisi and St Catherine of Siena was established by Law 132/1958. This law originally provided for the flagging of public buildings and reduced hours in public offices, expressly referring to the regulations introduced by Law 260/1949 for the civil solemnities of 11 February for the anniversary of the stipulation of the Treaty and Concordat with the Holy See and 28 September for the anniversary of the popular uprising in Naples. It is recalled that St Francis was proclaimed patron saint of Italy by Pope Pius XII together with St Catherine of Siena in 1939..

Law 54 of 1977 then removed the reduction of working hours in public offices for civil holidays. It also specified that these reductions are prohibited unless authorised by law. Law 24/2005 finally established that 4 October should be considered not only a civil solemnity, but also a day of peace, fraternity and dialogue between members of different cultures and religions. Provision was then made for ceremonies, initiatives, and meetings, particularly in schools of all levels, dedicated to these values and of which Saints Francis of Assisi and Caterina of Siena are an expression.

Extra wages

Certain categories of employees of the Pa, such as health personnel and the police, will receive a benefit in their pay envelope. The State will take over this money. In fact, the proposal authorises the expenditure of EUR 10,684,044 annually as from 2027, of which EUR 8,793,880 is earmarked for the National Health Service, thus increasing the national standard requirement to which the State contributes as from 2027 by this amount. In fact, the recognition of 4 October as a bank holiday in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi may give rise to new or greater burdens on public finance related to the expenditure of personnel employed by public administrations, with particular reference to the sectors in which operational continuity and essential services must be ensured; in particular, the categories of personnel concerned relate to the security, defence and public emergency sectors of the State as well as the health sector.

The Government's rejection of St. Joseph's Day as a national holiday

The MEP from the Misto-minorities group, Dieter Steger, tabled an amendment in the Budget Committee to include 19 March, the day on which St Joseph is celebrated, in the list of national holidays. No from the government: the solution would cost too much.