Pistoletto Declares Pope Francis 'First Saint of Art' in Cittadellarte Ceremony

On December 17, 2025, at Cittadellarte, Michelangelo Pistoletto proclaimed Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) the 'First Saint of Art' on the Pope's birthday. The gesture sparked debate over its form, but less attention was paid to its meaning. Pistoletto, inspired by Francis's tomb and pectoral cross, has been writing reflections on the Pope before dawn. In late August 2026, two handwritten notes (at 4:30 and 4:33) were shared on Instagram, outlining three criteria for sainthood in art. First, a saint is a free spirit, as an artist should be, but with responsibility that germinates in others. Second, sainthood involves subtraction: the absence of symbols of domination, as seen in Francis's pectoral cross, which lacks imperial animals, precious stones, or a crucified body. Third, a saint is a person who becomes a surface, emptied of dominance, making solitude a condition for community, as exemplified by Francis praying alone in an empty St. Peter's Square during COVID-19 in March 2020. Pistoletto's act is unprecedented: art constitutes itself as a sanctifying authority, naming a non-artist. Historically, artists like Van Gogh have been seen as secular saints, but never has art formally canonized someone. Pistoletto's criteria—freedom, subtraction, and emptiness—offer insights for contemporary society. The article is by Antonio Spadaro.