Estate Ragazzi for Children in the Vatican 2026
The Summer Camp for Children in the Vatican, reserved for the children of employees of the Governorate and the Holy See, is organised by the Governorate of Vatican City State and co-ordinated by Fr Franco Fontana, SDB, Co-ordinator of Chaplains for the Directorates and Central Offices, in collaboration with the “Play It” company, the “Tutto in una Festa” entertainment agency and Salesian educators and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, who work with expertise and dedication in the field of education, focusing on the personal and relational growth of the participants, promoting values of sharing, respect and collaboration, and ensuring a welcoming, safe environment rich in formative experiences, capable of combining fun, learning and a spirit of community.
Organised by age group, from 3 to 14 years old, it is a summer programme designed to help children grow in a safe, stimulating and energetic environment – taking place in the Paul VI Auditorium and other specific, private areas of the Holy See (including a green space with a swimming pool where the children can cool off every day).
Scheduled from 15 June to 31 July, running from morning until mid-afternoon, the programme features numerous workshops, games and activities tailored to different age groups, all united by a common theme: this year’s theme is a grand journey around the world, inspired by the famous adventure recounted in “Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne.
The meeting with the Pope
On the morning of Monday 22 June 2026, Pope Leo XIV met the children, young people and activity leaders taking part in the summer camp and, on that occasion, responded warmly and kindly to the children’s questions.
To Federico, who noted that at the ‘Estate Ragazzi’ summer camp everyone has fun without ever using mobile phones or digital devices – though during the rest of the year they usually cannot do without them – the Holy Father replied:
“Technology can be very good and we need it for many things, but when we’re together, it isn’t necessary to have a mobile phone or tablet in our hands all the time (…) We are human beings, people, and contact with others is very important.”
His address also touched on the family dimension:
“It is not enough for us all to be there, each of us staring at our own mobile phone. It is very important to learn to dialogue, to converse, to get on well with others, to play together”
and the spiritual dimension:
“Even if we may have the Bible and a few prayers on our mobile phones, God does not want to look at our mobile phones: God wants to look at our hearts, at our lives.”
For this reason, he emphasised that:
“It is far more important to develop our humanity through friendship, conversation and also through all the things you have been doing over the past few months, right here.”
Meanwhile, when Michela – inspired by the theme of the ‘Estate Ragazzi’ summer camp – asked him for “a secret about your travels”, the Holy Father advised her to cultivate study, preparation and critical thinking:
“As children, we all learnt to read road maps. And if we had to go from here – from Rome to Naples, or from Rome to Tivoli – before setting off, we’d study: we’d look for the map, see which route, which direction was best to take… Nowadays we all use GPS (…) But on several occasions in my life – it’s happened to me in Italy, in other European countries, in Peru and once even in the United States – I’ve used GPS and it’s taken me down the wrong road, leaving me stuck and unable to reach my destination.”
So here, then, is the real secret:
“It’s much better to learn to think for ourselves, to have the critical thinking skills to know where we’re going in life, on our journeys, whatever it may be. Study properly, use the ability that God has given us! I don’t need a mobile phone if my brain’s working!”
Before continuing with the day’s engagements, the Holy Father was appointed Chief Scout of the Summer Camp, and to mark the occasion he was presented with a scout kit and a commemorative plaque from the event.
Finally, Pope Leo’s farewell to the young people was a model of warmth, kindness and pastoral brilliance, with the Holy Father leading everyone present in a communal recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, inviting the young people in this way:
“I thought it would be lovely if you could all tell your parents that you prayed with the Pope, because prayer is very important to us. We want Jesus to be here with us! We will pray together – you can stay where you are, seated – the prayer that Jesus taught us, with one voice: The Lord’s Prayer…”.
