Nuova stagione, the diocesan weekly magazine of Naples, dedicated an entire page to the Bicentenary of Mother Thouret’s ascension to heaven, in issue 41 of 16 November 2025.

Signed by the Deputy Editor of the weekly magazine, Mgr Doriano Vincenzo de Luca, it presented ‘the intense spiritual and community journey that will unfold throughout 2025-2026.

There will be two events that the Congregation is preparing to celebrate in 2026:

the bicentenary of the death of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret (24 August 1826) and

the first centenary of her beatification (23 May 1926).

This double anniversary recalls the memory of an extraordinary woman, founder of the Sisters of Charity, who came to Naples from Besançon (France) in 1810 and ended her earthly life here. Her remains now rest in the Church of Regina Coeli, a place symbolic of prayer and charity, where her work continues to speak to the hearts of many faithful.

In preparation for these important milestones, the religious sisters have promoted a monthly programme of prayer and adoration, which began last October and will accompany the entire community until the summer of 2026. Each meeting is a moment of reflection on the life and spiritual legacy of Jeanne Antide, a figure who, through the charity she lived and taught, was able to unite contemplation and service to the poor. The monthly meetings, open to all, are held in the Institute’s church in Piazzetta Regina Coeli and aim to offer participants an opportunity to rediscover the power of the Gospel translated into concrete gestures of love and solidarity.

A particularly significant moment was the Solemn Eucharistic Concelebration opening the Bicentenary Year, on Saturday 22 November 2025 at 6 p.m., in the Church of Regina Coeli. Presiding over the celebration was Mgr Salvatore Pennacchio, former pupil of the Sisters of Charity, former Apostolic Nuncio and current President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. The meeting represents not only an act of gratitude for the life and work of St. Jeanne Antide, but also a sign of continuity between past and present: a bridge between the spirituality of yesterday and the educational and social mission that continues today in the heart of the city.

During 2026, the Sisters of Charity has also organised two days dedicated to former pupils of the “Regina Coeli” school, scheduled for 18 January and 28 March 2026. The theme of the first meeting will be “Jeanne Antide Thouret: a voice for our time. When holiness challenges history”, inviting participants to rediscover the relevance of the message of a woman who, two centuries ago, was able to offer answers of faith, courage and innovation in an era of profound change. These days are intended to be an occasion of remembrance and gratitude for those who have shared part of their formative journey within the Institute, but also an invitation to renew their commitment to living the values of charity and service that inspire its mission.

Another highlight of the journey will be 23 May 2026, the date of the centenary of the beatification of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret. For the occasion, a solemn concelebration presided over by Cardinal Don Mimmo Battaglia is planned. It will be a day of celebration for the entire spiritual family of the Saint and for all those throughout the world who identify with her charism of lived and shared charity.

In the meantime, the Church of Regina Coeli will remain open to welcome the faithful who wish to pause in prayer before the Saint’s urn and ask for her intercession. It is open every weekday from 7.30am to 9am and on Sundays from 9am to 12pm. A simple but precious initiative, offering everyone the gift of silence, contemplation and spiritual closeness to a woman who dedicated her life to “doing good, well”.

With this comprehensive programme of events, meetings and celebrations, the Sisters of Charity wish not only to commemorate two historic anniversaries, but above all to relaunch the ever-relevant message of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret: a faith that translates into service, a love that becomes active charity, a life that continues to speak – even after two centuries – to the hearts of those who believe in the power of hope.

Doriano Vincenzo De Luca