Catholics in Dozens of Cities Host Prayer Services for IDAHOBIT

Tomorrow, Sunday, May 17th, is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), an occasion that is being marked by over 5,000 events in more than 155 countries, according to the website of the group that coordinates the day’s commemorations.

In Europe and Latin America,  many Catholic organizations and parishes which support LGBTQ+ people host prayer vigils either on the actual IDAHOBIT day or on a date close to it. The scriptural theme for this year is “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name “ (Isaiah 43:1).

In Italy alone, over 20 prayer vigils will be presided over by a local bishop, according to Avenirre, the newspaper of the Italian Bishops Conference which published a long article promoting IDAHOBIT. In the article, Archbishop Erio Castellucci, Vice President of the Italian Bishops Conference, discussed the significance of hosting these prayer services within in the context of the church’s synodal journey.  Towards the conclusion of the article he stated: “In recent decades, scientific studies, including biblical ones, have continued, and experiences have multiplied; awareness has increased, and even within Christian communities, the capacity for fraternal understanding and the need to identify forms of acceptance that respect each person’s journey have grown.”

In several different posts, Progetto Gionata, a website hosted by the Italian Catholic LGBTQ+ group La Tienda de Gionata (Jonathan’s Tent), has been cataloguing the Catholic churches in several countries who are hosting IDAHOBIT prayer services.  Of course, many other Catholic groups across the globe are likely sponsoring prayer services for IDAHOBIT. If you know of any, please add them in the “Comments” section of this post.

The prayer services, some of which have already taken place, include:

ITALY

(The active presence and promotion by so many Italian dioceses shows the power that approval by a national bishops’ conference can have.)

Prayer Services sponsored or co-sponsored by Catholic dioceses and archdioceses

Diocese of Cremona: Church of San Giuseppe, Cambonino, presider: Bishop Antonio Napolioni

Diocese of Parma: Church of the Holy Spirit, presider: Bishop Enrico Solmi

Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola and Diocese of Carpi,  presider: Msgr. Erio Castellucci, Vice President of the Italian Bishops Conference

Diocese of Rimini, presider: Bishop Nicolò Anselmi 

Archdiocese of Florence;Archbishop Gherardo Gambelli 

Diocese of Savona-Noli, presider Bishop Gero Marino 

Diocese of Fano Fossombrone Cagli Pergolam, presider Bishop Andrea Andreozzi 

Archdiocese of Pesaro and Archdiocese of Urbino Urbania Sant’Angelo in Vado, presider Archbishop Sandro Salvucci 

Diocese of Verona, presider: Bishop Domenico Pompili 

Archdiocese  of Bari-Bitonto, presider: Archbishop Giuseppe Satriano 

Diocese of Forlì-Bertinoro, presider: Bishop Livio Corazza, Bishop of Forlì-Bertinoro

Diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, presider: Bishop Andrea Migliavacca

Archdiocese of Milan: Church of San Fedele

Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone: Bolzano

Archdiocese of Cosenza-Bisignano: Cosenza

Diocese of Verona: Chapel of the Ursuline Sisters, presider: Bishop Domenico Pampili

Diocese of Chiavari: Chiavari

Diocese of Bergamo: Bergamo

Archdiocese of Bologna: Bologna

Archdiocese of Agrigento: Agrigento

Diocese of Adria-Rovigo: Rovigo

Other Italian cities where prayer services were sponsored or co-sponsored by Catholic organizations or local parishes: 

Brescia, Novara, Como, Treviso, Genoa, Latina Scalo, Lucca, Padua, Reggio Calabria, Alban Laziale, Naples, Prato, Rome, Cuneo, Venice, Mestre,  Reggio Emilia, Cagliari, Turin, Montesilvano,

Prayer services sponsored or co-sponsored by Catholic groups in other countries:

BELGIUM

Diocese of Liege, Premontres Space

IRELAND (first year hosting a prayer service)

Dublin: Kimmage Manor Catholic Parish

MALTA

Msida: University Chapel

PERU. (first year hosting a prayer service)

Chimbote: Our Lady of Miracles parish

POLAND

Warsaw

SPAIN

Realejos, Tenerife

Adeje, Tenerife

Seville

Las Palma, Gran Canaria

San Bartolome, Lanzarote

Barcelona

SWEDEN (first year hosting a prayer service)

Stockholm

SWITZERLAND

Lugano

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, May 16, 2026