The Spirit of the Olympic Games: Milan Welcomes the "Sports Cross"
As the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games approach, the Basilica of San Babila has officially become the spiritual heart of the Olympics. Archbishop Mario Delpini recently presided over a packed celebration to welcome the Sports Cross, a symbolic journey that began with the London 2012 Games.
Pope Leo XIV sent his apostolic blessing and said he spiritually joins all those who took part, in a celebration presided over by the Archbishop, during which the Athletes’ Cross for the Milan–Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games—taking place from 6 to 22 February—will be officially welcomed to the city.
The Cross, crafted from 15 types of wood from across the globe, features a hollow center—a "glimmer" that Delpini suggests invites observers to look beyond the physical and embrace the mystery of the human spirit. It will remain on the high altar until the conclusion of the Paralympics.
A "Festival of the Body" and a School of Life
In a stirring homily, Archbishop Delpini described the upcoming Games not just as a sporting event, but as a "moral and ascetic path." He emphasized that the physical feats of the athletes serve as a "stern sermon" to the world, teaching us:
Willpower: The grueling discipline required for elite performance.
Virtue: The strength to resist "artificial performance" (doping) and the seductions of fame.
Humility: The grace to accept coaching and the resilience to face both victory and defeat without losing one's center.
Inclusion: Recognizing disability not as a "torment," but as a unique condition through which to express talent and challenge limits.
A Gathering of Faith and Community
The event, organized under the diocesan theme "For each other – One for the other," drew a diverse crowd of dignitaries and youth:
Civic Leaders: Including Milan’s Deputy Mayor Anna Scavuzzo and CONI Lombardia President Marco Riva.
Church Dignitaries: Monsignor Paul Tighe (Vatican Secretary for Culture and Education) and various local priests representing youth and disability sports.
The Youth: Athletes from local oratories and the Milan Curia Choir led the liturgy.
"The Sportsmen's Cross... will speak like a glorious body, the absent body that attracts the gaze, provokes memory, fuels wonder." — Archbishop Delpini
Messages of Global Solidarity
The celebration concluded with a message from Pope Leo XIV, who expressed hope that the Games would "build bridges between cultures" and promote the value of sport in service of human development.
Monsignor Tighe echoed these sentiments, highlighting the "universal language of sport" as a tool for peace and inclusion. The evening ended on a quintessentially Milanese note: a community gathering in Piazza San Babila featuring traditional michette and salami, a "convivial moment" of joy before the intense competition begins.
FULL TEXT - Pope Leo XIV addresses warm greetings to all participating in the welcome celebration in the Church of San Babila of the Olympic Cross of Sportsmen at the opening of the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games. He hopes that this important event will energize feelings of friendship and fraternity, strengthening awareness of the value of sport in the service of integral human development. The Holy Father assures his prayer that these days of healthy competition will contribute to building bridges between cultures and peoples, promoting welcoming, solidarity, and peace. With these wishes, the Supreme Pontiff is pleased to send the desired apostolic blessing, a pledge of constant divine assistance.
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