“The Ascension of St Francis in Dante’s Paradise” Madrid

In Madrid, Spain, on Monday 8 June 2026 at 11.30 am in the Aula Magna of the Italian State School, at Calle Agustín de Bethencourt 1, the well-attended event “The Ascension of St Francis of Assisi in Dante’s Paradise” was held, commemorating the anniversary of the death of Beatrice Portinari (June 8^th, 1290). Indeed, Beatrice is the spiritual guide in Paradise. A symbol of divine grace, she embodies sanctifying grace and theology. Through her, Dante is able to comprehend divine truths.
The event, realized in collaboration with the City of Assisi, was organised by the Italian State School, the Dante Alighieri Society of Madrid, and the Ars Pace Association, which took the initiative. This is the third episode of the “Ascension of Francis into Dante’s Paradise” event, organized by Ars Pace on the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The event promotes a new path of dialogue and culture dedicated to the figure of Saint Francis, whom Dante Alighieri commemorates, after his passing, in Canto XI of Paradise. The programme features five special events, in Zurich, Lausanne, Madrid and Assisi, culminating on 4 October in Geneva with the Concert for Peace.
The opening performance was by young musicians: Mario Sánchez Puente on cello and Andrés Portela Boueri on piano, from Class 4, Section A, who performed Camille Saint-Saëns’s The Swan (from ‘The Carnival of the Animals’).
The official greetings were delivered by Massimo Bonelli, Dean of the Italian State School, and Enrique Barón Crespo, President of Ars Pace.
After the exclusive screening of Pier Mario Pagliacci’s film on the Porziuncola, readings from Canto XI of Paradise were performed by the students: Giulia, David, Rossana, and Lorenzo.
This was followed by highly appreciated speeches by Donatella Danzi, President of the Madrid Committee of the Dante Alighieri Society, Rosa Affatato, DS Delegate for the Italian High School, Friar Pedro González González, Commissioner of the Holy Land and Rector of the Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, and Monica Baldi, Vice President of Ars Pace.
The closing performance was a piano performance by Andrés Portela Boueri, who played Franz Schubert’s “Serenade” and Johann Strauss’s “The Blue Danube.”

(painting by Elisabetta Rogai)