The Feast of Saint Francis of the Wounds in Canindé will take place from October 7 to 17, 2026, at the Sanctuary Basilica of Saint Francis of the Wounds in Canindé, Ceará, Brazil. Before the official opening, the Sanctuary scheduled four preparation days, from October 3 to 6. For pilgrims planning their trip, the key times are the opening at 4:00 a.m. on October 7, the novenas from October 8 to 16, the Pilgrim Mass at 5:00 a.m. on October 17, and the closing procession at 5:00 p.m. that same day.
In 2026, the feast was moved from its traditional period because of Brazil's election calendar. The announced theme is “Saint Francis: from life to death, a call to holiness”, marking the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Franciscan remembrance of his passage from earthly life to eternity.
Main schedule for the 2026 Saint Francis Feast in Canindé
| Date | Time | Place | Celebration or activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 3 | 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | Masses in the “At the Gates of the Feast” preparation program; after the 6:00 p.m. Mass, a presentation of the Transitus of Saint Francis |
| Oct. 3 | 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 p.m. and Franciscan Crown at 5:00 p.m. |
| Oct. 4 | 6:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | Masses on the liturgical feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, within the preparation program |
| Oct. 5 | 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; 6:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | Masses during the day and Sending Mass at 6:00 p.m. |
| Oct. 6 | 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. | Sanctuary | Masses; Dom Bosco Caravan gathering at 2:30 p.m. and Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 p.m. |
| Oct. 7 | 4:00 a.m. | Basilica | Raising of the flags and opening Eucharistic celebration |
| Oct. 7 | 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. | Grotto Court | Masses |
| Oct. 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Leaving the Basilica | First procession with the Saint Francis Panel |
| Oct. 8 to 16 | 5:00 a.m. | Francisco Cordeiro Campos Avenue | Way of the Cross, ending with a Eucharistic celebration at Christ the King Church |
| Oct. 8 to 16 | 6:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. | Grotto Court | Daily Masses |
| Oct. 8 to 16 | 3:00 p.m. | Basilica | Simplified Novena |
| Oct. 8 to 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Pilgrims' Square | Solemn Novena, streamed by TV Santuário; the Sanctuary announced Brazilian Sign Language interpretation during the novena |
| Oct. 7 to 17 | 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. | House of Miracles | Confessions |
| Oct. 7 to 17 | 10:00 a.m. | Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church | Baptisms, with authorization from the person's home parish priest |
| Oct. 17 | 5:00 a.m. | Pilgrims' Square | Pilgrim Mass |
| Oct. 17 | 6:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. | Grotto Court | Masses; the Solemn Mass is at 9:00 a.m. |
| Oct. 17 | 5:00 p.m. | Leaving Basilica Square | Closing procession with the image known as São Francisquinho, followed by a blessing, acknowledgments, farewell to pilgrims and announcement of the 2027 feast |
How the novena works from October 8 to 16
The novena has two fixed daily times. The Simplified Novena will be celebrated at 3:00 p.m. in the Basilica. The Solemn Novena will take place at 6:00 p.m. in Pilgrims' Square. The Sanctuary says that each evening will include honored Brazilian states, invited dioceses from Ceará, and participation by different pastoral groups, movements and communities.
For deaf and hard-of-hearing participants, the Sanctuary announced interpretation in Libras, Brazilian Sign Language, during the novena from October 8 to 16. The service will be available at the celebrations in Pilgrims' Square and through the broadcasts and screens described by the organizers.
Processions: opening, novena period and closing
The first procession is scheduled for October 7 at 6:00 p.m., with the Saint Francis Panel leaving the Basilica and traveling through streets in central Canindé. From October 8 to 16, the Sanctuary says the Panel will leave the Basilica each day for Pilgrims' Square and then return to the Sanctuary. For the exact time and route on a specific date, the safest reference is the full program available on the official feast page.
The closing is scheduled for October 17 at 5:00 p.m.. The procession with the image known as São Francisquinho will leave Basilica Square and travel through streets of Canindé. The program then calls for a blessing, acknowledgments, farewell to pilgrims and the announcement of the 2027 feast.
Masses, Way of the Cross, confessions and baptisms
From October 8 to 16, Masses at the Grotto Court are scheduled for 6:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. During the same period, the Way of the Cross begins daily at 5:00 a.m. on Francisco Cordeiro Campos Avenue and ends with a Eucharistic celebration at Christ the King Church. The official program also mentions celebrations in other parish churches and Masses dedicated to groups such as cyclists, accordion players, altar servers and rosary groups, as well as the Cowboys' Mass and the blessing of animals. Anyone planning to attend one of these specific activities should check the full program PDF on the official website.
Confessions will be available from October 7 to 17, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the confession rooms at the House of Miracles. Baptisms are scheduled daily at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church and require authorization from the person's home parish priest.
Pilgrimage preparation: what happens from October 3 to 6
The “At the Gates of the Feast” program was organized as spiritual preparation for the main celebrations. On October 3, in addition to Masses, there will be the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Franciscan Crown and a presentation of the Transitus of Saint Francis after the 6:00 p.m. Mass. On October 4, Masses are scheduled for 6:00 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. On October 5, the Sending Mass is at 6:00 p.m. On October 6, the Dom Bosco Caravan will hold an activity at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 p.m.
The Sanctuary also stated that confessions will be available during these four preparation days. Because the detailed cards for the preparation program may contain additional service times, it is useful to check the official publication before traveling.
Where to check the official program and broadcasts
The official Feast of Saint Francis of the Wounds page brings together the summarized schedule, access to TV Santuário broadcasts and a link to download the full program in PDF. When planning travel, arrival times and participation in specific celebrations, check that page again close to the date you intend to attend rather than relying on screenshots or older copies of the schedule.
Service information: Feast of Saint Francis of the Wounds 2026, October 7 to 17, at the Sanctuary Basilica of Saint Francis of the Wounds, Basilica Square, downtown Canindé, Ceará, Brazil. “At the Gates of the Feast” preparation program: October 3 to 6.
