Olympic and Paralympic Cross to be brought to Milan ahead of Winter Games
Athletica Vaticana, the official sports association of the Holy See, will bring the Olympic and Paralympic Cross to Milan on January 29, ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Vatican News.
The Cross will be presented during a Mass at the Basilica of San Babila at 6:30 p.m. local time. The service will be led by Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan, with the participation of Bishop Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, as well as the president and vice-president of Athletica Vaticana.
The ceremony will take place on the eve of the Olympic Truce, which, under a UN General Assembly resolution adopted on November 19, will run from February 6 to March 15, one week after the closing of the Paralympic Games. During this period, the Basilica of San Babila will serve as the “Church of Athletes,” hosting events linked to the Games.
The Olympic and Paralympic Cross has accompanied athletes since the London 2012 Games. It was entrusted to Athletica Vaticana in June during the Jubilee of Sport and symbolizes unity and peace in global sports.
The Cross was created by British artist Jon Cornwall for the 2012 London Olympics and is made of 15 pieces of wood sourced from different regions around the world, including the Holy Land, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is set to lead the U.S. presidential delegation to the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
