The Annual Dante Lecture ‘Between Ulysses and Saint Francis: Models of Leadership in Dante’
October 16 @ 4:30 pm – 9:00 pm EDT
Please join us on October 16th, 2026 for our Day of Dante!
Marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis, this year’s lecture – Between Ulysses and Saint Francis: Models of Leadership in Dante – traces how Dante’s Divine Comedy offers a powerful vision of charismatic leadership through the contrasting figures of Ulysses and Saint Francis of Assisi. This year’s Dante Lecture will be presented by Heather Webb, Professor of Italian Studies at Yale University.
2026 Dante celebrations will begin with The Dante Garden Tour from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by the annual Dante Lecture from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and a Reception from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the John M. Kelly Library featuring a new exhibit of the collection: Dante Sings the Praises of St. Francis.
The Annual Dante Lecture is a cornerstone event celebrating the enduring importance of Dante’s work within literature, theology, philosophy, and cultural history. The lecture was established through the generosity of Alberto and Caroline Di Giovanni.