On Sunday, January 18, 2026, more than eight hundred people joined the 39th Peace March in Macomer, a town in central Sardinia in the Italian province of Nuoro. The event was organized by the Regional Delegation of Caritas Sardegna, along with CSV Sardegna Solidale (Center for Volunteer Services), the Diocese of Alghero-Bosa [Sardinia, Italy], and the Municipality of Macomer.
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., the community went forth from the Beata Vergine Maria Regina delle Missioni Church and marched through the town center in a reflective and participatory atmosphere. Families, youth, priests, religious men and women, volunteers, associations, civil institutions, and school representatives all came together to march for peace and give witness to their longing for it.
The theme of the march was “Peace Be with You All: Towards an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace” taken from Pope Leo XIV’s Message for the 59th World Day of Peace. It guided the entire day of reflection and prayer.
The March was led by the Most Reverend Mauro Maria MORFINO, Bishop of Alghero-Bosa, Italy. Joining him was the Most Reverend Antonello MURA, Bishop of Nuoro, Italy and President of the Sardinian Episcopal Conference. Also present was the Most Reverend Roberto CARBONI, OFM Conv., Archbishop of Oristano and Bishop of Ales-Terralba, Italy. Archbishop CARBONI emphasized the value of perseverance that comes from the people: “It is the voice of the people that rises up as an invocation to God for the gift of peace.”
There were also many representatives of civil institutions. The Mayor of Macomer, Riccardo UDA, said he hoped his city would carry a message capable of going beyond the borders of the island, while the president of the Regional Council, Piero COMANDINI, noted that peace is a value that unites people beyond any divisions.
The procession ended back at the Beata Vergine Maria Regina delle Missioni Church with a prayer vigil led by His Eminence Cardinal Dominique Joseph MATHIEU, OFM Conv., Archbishop of Teheran-Ispahan of the Latins in Iran. His testimony, gained in contexts marked by suffering and conflict, offered sober and profound words: “We are called to be bearers of life and peace, to believe that there is something good and beautiful in every person.”
Reflecting on his experiences in Iran and Lebanon, the Cardinal noted that peace grows from small, everyday gestures and from steadfast presences that foster relationships, even in the most fragile circumstances. His invitation echoes the Gospel: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5:9), and the Apostle’s exhortation: “If possible, on your part, live at peace with all” (Rm 12:18).
The Macomer March thus confirms itself as a tangible sign of shared responsibility: step by step, the community continues to bear witness that peace is not a slogan, but a daily journey of fraternity, humility, and perseverance.
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