The 800th anniversary celebrations will officially begin on January 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
The opening ceremony will be broadcast live from the Porziuncola Chapel in Assisi.
On January 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which houses the Porziuncola, will become the center of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (1226/2026). The entire opening ceremony will be streamed live on the official channels of the Seraphic Province of St. Francis of Assisi of the Order of Friars Minor (www.facebook.com/fratiminoriassisi) and on the Franciscan Centenaries website: www.centenarifrancescani.org.
The guide to the Opening Rite of the 800th Anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis is available for download below in multiple languages:
Representatives from the Franciscan Families will be present, namely: Friar Massimo FUSARELLI, OFM, Minister General of the Friars Minor; Friar Carlos Alberto TROVARELLI, OFM Conv., Minister General of the Friars Minor Conventual; Friar Roberto GENUIN, OFM Cap., Minister General of the Friars Minor Capuchin; Tibor KAUSER, OFS, Minister General of the Secular Franciscan Order; Friar Amando TRUJILLO CANO, TOR, Minister General of the Third Order Regular, and Sister Daisy KALAMPARAMBAN, President of the International Franciscan Conference of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular. These men and women, consecrated according to the Franciscan Rule, are a united presence that visibly demonstrates the unity and charismatic richness of the Franciscan Family throughout the world.
The opening ceremony will take place in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which houses, behind the Porziuncola, the Chapel of the Transitus, a memorial of the last earthly moments of St. Francis. There, on October 3, 1226, already blind and marked by the stigmata, Francis asked to be laid “naked on the bare earth”―a supreme gesture of faith in the fatherhood of God and of acceptance of Sister Bodily Death.
The Opening Ceremony: From the Canticle to the Transitus
The opening ceremony will serve as a symbolic and spiritual bridge between the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures (2025) and the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis (2026). It will incorporate the Canticle’s final two stanzas on reconciliation and Sister Bodily Death.
Key figures in this ceremony will be the Most Reverend Domenico SORRENTINO, Bishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, Italy, and the Mayor of Assisi, Valter STOPPINI. Their participation recalls the reconciliation that occurred between the Bishop of Assisi and the Mayor of Assisi, which was sung by Francis as a prophecy of peace.
They will enter the Basilica in procession, carrying an unlit candle, a symbol of humanity marked by conflict and fragility. The procession will proceed to the Chapel of the Transitus, the site of Francis’ last earthly moments, where the candle will be lit from the Paschal Candle, a symbol of the Risen Christ. From there, the lit candle will be carried to the six side chapels of the Basilica, each entrusted to one of the six branches of the Franciscan Family.
The Testament of St. Francis
At each side chapel, the participants will focus on a theme drawn from the Testament of St. Francis, which serves as the foundational text for the opening ceremony, conveying Francis’ final spiritual wishes. At each side chapel, the program will include: the reading of a passage from the Franciscan Sources or the Gospel; a brief reflection by a Minister General; and a symbolic gesture or the sharing of testimony with the aim of bringing Francis’ message to life in today’s world.
An Exceptional Exhibition
For this occasion, there will be an exceptional exhibition of the oldest known painting of St. Francis of Assisi, preserved in the Porziuncola Museum, a work by the artist commonly known as the “Master of St. Francis” (mid-13th century). It depicts the saint with his stigmata clearly visible, expressing his full and complete conformity to Christ.
The image was apparently painted on a wooden plank that was used to carry and protect Francis’s body immediately after his death, thereby giving it not only iconographic value but also profound relic-like and testimonial significance. The artwork will be displayed in accordance with the strictest conservation measures, under the supervision of the Curator of Cultural Heritage of the Seraphic Province.
Prophecy of Fraternity
The Transitus comes at the culmination of the great Franciscan Jubilee journey , which, from 2023 to 2026, retraced the final years of the life of the Poverello: from the approval of the Rule and the Christmas at Greccio (2023), to the gift of the Stigmata (2024), and the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures (2025).
The Canticle’s final stanza— ”Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape” —provides the true key to this 800th anniversary event. Francis’s testimony as he died, singing, surrounded by his brothers, leaves a legacy of reconciliation and a prophecy of fraternity: only a free and humble heart can welcome death as a friend.
Everyone, sons and daughters of St. Francis, Christian and civil communities, young and old, are invited to join in this great spiritual jubilee.
Press Release
Office of Communications of the Seraphic Province
of St. Francis of the Order of Friars Minor
Rome: BRANDUARDI Closes Year of Canticle of the Creatures,
Heralds 800th Anniversary of Transitus
On December 26, 2025, Angelo BRANDUARDI, a singer-songwriter who composes pieces about St. Francis, gave a concert in Rome to herald the upcoming 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi and to conclude the 800th anniversary commemorating the saint’s composition of the Canticle of the Creatures.
The concert was attended by an audience of 2,700 admirers of the renowned medieval minstrel St. Francis. The event took place at the Santa Cecilia Concert Hall located in the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone Complex in Rome.
Backed by his four longtime instrumentalists, the artist performed eleven pieces from his album L’infinitamente Piccolo, which talks about the life of St. Francis. The first song was Canticle of Brother Sun, followed by ten of BRANDUARDI’s best-known pieces from the 1970s through the 1990s.
The idea of setting the life of St. Francis to music was first introduced in 1999, with the goal of spreading the message of St. Francis during the 2000 Jubilee Year. At that time, Friar Paolo FIASCONARO was the Coordinating Secretary for the Assembly of the four Franciscan Families of Italy, which was conducted in Sardinia. Friar Paolo invited the artist to present his plan to the sixty Ministers Provincial attending the Assembly. Mr. BRANDUARDI spoke to them and explained his deep artistic and spiritual bond with St. Francis.
Thus the album L’infinitamente Piccolo was born. Its eleven songs are based on texts selected by BRANDUARDI’s wife, Luisa ZAPPA. She took the texts from the Franciscan Sources and other books the friars had given her husband. Maestro BRANDUARDI involved four great musical forces of the time in his project, namely, the composers Ennio MORRICONE and Franco BATTIATO, and the renowned ensembles Madredeus and Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare. During the 2000 Jubilee Year, Mr. BRANDUARDI performed 150 concerts across Italy and Europe.
Twenty-five years later, on the occasion of the Franciscan 800th anniversaries, Friar Paolo FIASCONARO—on behalf of the Union of the Conferences of Ministers Provincial of the Franciscan Family of Italy—proposed that the songwriter take up the project again, even at the age of seventy-five. The friars enthusiastically supported the idea, giving rise to a new tour. The tour was further enriched when the friars of the Sacred Convent of Assisi suggested that Mr. BRANDUARDI collaborate with Aldo CAZZULLO, the author of the book “Francesco: Il Primo Italiano” [Francis: the First Italian]. Thus, Mr. CAZZULLO is now part of the new show, which will be a highlight during the 800th anniversary celebrations. The concert tour will begin in Pisa, Italy, on February 12, 2026, and will continue on to major theaters across Italy and Europe.
At the end of the concert performed this December, Mr. BRANDUARDI and Friar Paolo FIASCONARO spent some time together talking about their great Franciscan concert series twenty-five years ago. They recalled past successes, the original musical program based on the life of St. Francis, and discussed future projects inspired by the Saint of Assisi.
Roberto DAMIATA, Journalist
On October 4, 2025, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, conducted a solemn celebration to announce, on behalf of the Ministers General of the Franciscan Family, the 800th Anniversary of the Easter of St. Francis. The announcement was made in the Lower Piazza of St. Francis, in Assisi, in the presence of public officials, friars, other religious, and the faithful.
Friar Carlos stressed the importance of this anniversary: “St. Francis welcomed death as a sister. He experienced it as a final act of faith and love. His death reminds us that every human existence has an eternal meaning.” He also invited everyone—”the sons and daughters of St. Francis, all people of good will, Christian and civil communities, young and old, healthy and sick”—to actively participate in the eighth centenary celebrations.
This 800th anniversary will be an occasion for prayer, discussion, and reflection. From February 22 to March 22, 2026, for the first time in public, the body of St. Francis will be displayed for the veneration of the faithful, providing a precious opportunity to get closer to this extraordinary person who, after 800 years, still speaks to the hearts of so many of us. During the 800th anniversary, the Franciscan community will offer activities open to all friends, devotees, sons, and daughters of Francis of Assisi, with moments of prayer and encounter. All the information needed for you to participate is available on the official website at: www.sanfrancescovive.org.
The 800th anniversary is intended to convey a powerful message of life and hope to a world still plagued by conflicts and challenges. The official opening of the 800th anniversary celebrations will take place on January 10, 2026, in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels―the Porziuncola.
Here is the video of Friar Carlos TROVARELLI making the announcement:
FRANCISCAN CENTENARIES
GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE FRANCISCAN FAMILY
Rome, May 31, 2025
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
To all National Franciscan Families
Dear brothers and sisters of every national Franciscan Family,
The Lord give you peace!
We, the Franciscan Family, are currently experiencing years of grace and deep reflection, stimulated by the Centenaries of the Rule, the Greccio Crib, the Stigmata and the Canticle of the Creatures.
In 2026, we will commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi.
The 8th centenary of the Easter of St. Francis can be a chance to bring the Poverello of Assisi into “the streets and squares” of every part of the world, exposing his life, mission and spirituality to those unfamiliar with his story. We have a powerful opportunity to draw others into the Franciscan Spirit. As the Franciscan Family, we join together to creatively share St. Francis with every person we meet in every place possible.
Organizing something together will also be a prophetic sign of unity and hope, responding to the call of the universal Church in this Jubilee year. Francis of Assisi was the ultimate pilgrim of hope.
The General Committee of the Franciscan Family for the Franciscan Centenaries is offering to help in international efforts, where it is possible to organize events open to all, involving every national Franciscan Family. The General Committee would like to initiate a dialogue among us and with those who are not Franciscans, to plan an event that would build fraternal relationships and make St. Francis of Assisi even more widely known.
HOW TO ORGANIZE AN EVENT
a) Establish a coordinating committee composed of representatives from all the Orders of the Franciscan Family: OFM, OFMConv, OFMCap, TOR, OFS, CFI-TOR, Poor Clares.
Collaboration among the various members of the Franciscan Family not only unites and multiplies efforts, but can also generate new creativity born of fraternal encounter.
b) This committee will be responsible for:
- Deciding the objectives and theme.
The general objective is to reach a broad audience, mainly composed of non-Franciscans and of different age groups: children, youth, adults, elderly.
The theme suggested by the General Ministers of the Franciscan Family is:
Francis, man of peace, brother to all
However, each national Franciscan Family may consider other themes more suited to its own concrete reality.
The guidelines found in the letter from the Conference of the Franciscan Family and the thematic cores provided by this General Committee in 2022 may be helpful. - Deciding where to hold the event and for how many days (1, 2, 3...).
- Deciding the program and activities to be carried out.
Activities may include: round tables; forums; meetings/discussions with Franciscan and non-Franciscan experts; workshops; exhibitions; performances; moments of prayer; activities for children and/or families; poetry, art and music contests, possibly involving schools. - Approving a budget for the costs of the various activities and preparing all informational materials.
c) Create an Organizing Secretariat to handle logistics; necessary permits; preparation of possible contracts; contacts with speakers and artists; recruitment and coordination of volunteers; execution of the event.
d) Create a financial team to handle sponsorships and expenses.
e) Create a Communications Office to manage internal and external dissemination within the Franciscan Family; handle social media to promote all programming.
It is important to begin working on this project well in advance, to build good relationships among committee members and other service groups, contact people who wish to be involved or institutions to secure chosen venues, and be well prepared to successfully carry out all planned activities.
We offer some links to websites where you can see how national or regional Franciscan Families organize events “in the streets and squares,” including videos and photos, to inspire what we suggest from the General Committee for the Franciscan Centenaries:
- https://www.festivalfrancescano.it (Italy – Emilia Romagna Region)
- https://www.meetingfrancescanomediterraneo.it (Italy – Sicily Region)
- Facebook pages: Encuentro Franciscano del Mediterráneo, Festival Francescano
- YouTube: search Festival Francescano or Encuentro Franciscano del Mediterráneo
The true priority is to give space to Franciscan creativity and imagination, to reach as many people as possible in our cities and connect them with St. Francis and his message, which is more relevant today than ever.
For our Franciscan Family, this can be a beautiful opportunity to contribute to evangelization, as a Church going out to every brother and sister thirsty for the Gospel—credible stories of the Gospel, like that of St. Francis and of so many who have embraced his charism over these eight hundred years.
Finally, we remind you to send contributions about what you will carry out in your countries (articles, photos, short videos) to the Franciscan Centenaries website:
👉 http://centenarifrancescani.org
On September 1, 2025, the Ministers General of the Franciscan Family met in Assisi to sign a letter entitled “Song of Reconciliation,” on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures (1225-2025). The signers were Friar Massimo FUSARELLI, OFM; Friar Carlos A. TROVARELLI, OFM Conv.; Friar Roberto GENUIN, OFM Cap.; and Friar Amando TRUJILLO CANO, TOR (Third Order Regular).
This letter is addressed to the entire Franciscan Family —the brothers and sisters of the First, Second, and Third Orders, including the TOR. In this Holy Year, which also marks the year of the Canticle, the letter invites us to rediscover the spiritual freshness and prophetic power of St. Francis’ song, still so relevant today, a song which calls us to a life of praise, peace, and reconciliation.
Speaking plainly and profoundly, the Ministers General encourage us to become, like Francis, singers of reconciliation and hope for our time.
The letter is available in French, English, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), and German.
Download links are below.
French >>>
English >>>
Italian >>>
Polish >>>
Portuguese >>>
Spanish (Spain) >>>
Spanish (Latin America) >>>
German >>>
In 2025, the “Season of Creation” in Assisi will be offering a rich program of events. This time of ecumenical prayer and action for the care of our common home, celebrated worldwide, opens on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for Creation, and concludes on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
The city of the Poverello once again welcomes this annual gathering. As in past years, residents and pilgrims alike are invited to plant their personal “seeds of peace” by praying and making a concrete commitment to care for creation. This initiative is part of the Franciscan Centenary (2023–2026) and is particularly focused on the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures.
“Today, more than ever, we thirst for peace,” said Antonio CASCHETTO, Director of the Laudato Si’ Center in Assisi. “Peace among peoples,” he continued, “peace in families, peace between men and women, peace with ourselves, and peace with all of creation. The Canticle of the Creatures teaches us how to experience this peace at all levels. We sincerely hope that this ‘Season of Creation’ will help many seeds of peace take root among the participants and pilgrims passing through Assisi.”
This year, the theme chosen by the ecumenical committee is “Peace with Creation,” inspired by the image of a desolate and peace-less creation described by the prophet Isaiah, due to the lack of justice and the breakdown of humanity’s relationship with God. Our hope is that creation will know peace when justice is restored. “My people will live in peaceful country, in secure dwellings and quiet resting places” (cf. Is 32:14–18).
The community of Assisi will animate the program with help from Laudato Si’ volunteers from different regions of Italy and around the world. The volunteers will be living in Assisi while they carry out various services. Another group, “Artists for Creation,” will be offering the gift of music, as they share selections from the album “8CENTO” which celebrates the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures.
For more details (in Italian only) visit:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNzc9JqVqi4hooZUKjfShBbw_632jUEdmSZL6JqD_VI/edit?tab=t.0
Press Office
Sacred Convent of St. Francis
To the Sisters
of the Order of St. Clare
of the Order of Urbanist Poor Clares
of the Capuchin Poor Clares
Dear Poor Sisters of St. Clare,
Ke de multe parte et provincie sete adunate,
We, the Franciscan General Ministers, wish for
The Lord to give you His peace!
In this Holy Year of 2025, we celebrate not only the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures, but also of those “words with melody for the Poor Ladies of San Damiano,” known as Audite, Poverelle, which St. Francis of Assisi composed “for their greater consolation” in the winter of 1225. The two texts are singularly close in time and are from the same period of Francis’ life. We can say that they almost chase after and illuminate one another.
Given the importance of this anniversary for the entire Franciscan Family, and even more so for you, we, the Franciscan General Ministers, address you together, “with great love,” offering you some insights inspired by Francis’ own words, convinced that, even after 800 years, they retain all their force and are of great relevance for your Franciscan contemplative Clarian life today.
Download PDF “Audite Sorelle”:
From May 29 to June 1, 2025, the Franciscan Family in France gathered in Lourdes, at the Cité Saint Pierre (Caritas France) Hospitality and Accommodation Center and the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures, coinciding with the Feast of the Ascension. The gathering was organized by the National Council of the Secular Franciscan Order and brought together members from the entire Franciscan Family, with over 700 participants.
The main objective was to share some highlights from the Franciscan centenaries celebrated in recent years. The celebration included lectures, workshops, performances, and singing sessions. It was also an opportunity to present various initiatives that embody the spirituality of the Canticle of the Creatures through encounters with the poor, ecological commitment, fraternal life, and integral ecology.
One particularly touching moment was the performance by the Conventual Franciscan friars, who shared key moments from the life of St. Francis. Overall, the gathering was a deeply spiritual experience that rekindled a strong sense of connection to St. Francis.
Friar Jean-François-Marie AUCLAIR
The Laudato Si’ Center of Assisi, partnering with the ASSISI Terra Laudato Si’ project, has produced a concept album entitled “8cento” [800]―a journey through various musical styles, to interpret the Canticle of the Creatures with new eyes and ears.
The group behind this project, “Artists for Creation” wanted to pay tribute, through the art of music, to the first known song in the Italian language―whose author is known. It’s not just a beautiful poem or an inspired prayer, but also the work of a singer-songwriter. This year, the composition turns 800 years old.
St. Francis ends his Canticle with an oxymoron: “Cum grande humilitate.” Only he could juxtapose two words so distant: greatness and humility. In this album, a group of unknown, humble artists have undertaken an ambitious project. Performing at the Villaggio per la Terra event, on the Terrazza del Pincio in Rome [a hilltop overlook], the artists recently got a first taste of the public’s reaction.
The work interprets the Canticle, drawing inspiration from each verse, through rock, ballads, jazz, bossa nova, instrumentals, pop, dance, rap, and singer-songwriter tracks. They use various languages and styles, to sing of the Creator who designed a creation rich in biodiversity. Biodiversity equals beauty.
On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the first three tracks were released as an album representing the soul of 8cento. The first track is: “Tucte,” a rap song by OobyMajor. It explores the richness of the expression “cum tucte le tue creature” (with all your creatures). “Sorella morte,” by Marco MAMMOLI, uses dance music to help us, like Francis, look upon death with joy, as a means of praise. “Salsabīl,” by Matteo SANTINI, tells the story of Sister Water using an instrumental piece. The title is Arabic, evoking the spring that flows from Heaven and the dialogue between Francis and the sultan, from which we must learn, even today, to build peace, a key message of Pope Leo XIV.
The release of this album also marks the celebration of the first anniversary of the ASSISI Terra Laudato Si’ project, launched on April 22, 2024. It is already bearing much fruit in Assisi. Special thanks to the artists: Father Mimmo IERVOLINO, Luca LENCIONI, Marco MAMMOLI, Matteo MANICARDI, MoMa feat, Anna SILIMBANI, Diego RAITERI, Agostino SAMMARCO, Matteo SANTINI, Luca TERRANA, and OobyMajor. The best way to say thank you for this album is to listen to it.
The album is available on streaming platforms, and on the AssisiLaudatoSi.org website.
Enjoy listening!
Press Room
Sacred Convent of St. Francis
On the morning of January 23, 2025, a technical committee was brought together
at the headquarters of the Italian government at Palazzo Chigi in Rome,
to prepare for the reception of pilgrims in Assisi.
The committee members included the Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Alfredo MANTOVANO; the Extraordinary Commissioner for the Jubilee and Mayor of Rome, Roberto GUALTIERI; the President of the National Committee for the Celebration of the 8th Centenary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi, Davide RONDONI; the President of the Italian Region of Umbria, Stefania PROIETTI; the Mayor of Perugia, Vittoria FERDINANDI; the Mayor of Terni, Stefano BANDECCHI; and other key figures from the Italian Region of Umbria. Also present were officials of the Government; officials of the Italian State Railways; the Most Reverend Rino FISICHELLA, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and head of organizing the 2025 Jubilee; Father Giovanni ZAMPA, representing the Umbrian Episcopal Conference; and many others. The purpose of this meeting was to effectively prepare for the reception of the numerous pilgrims expected to arrive in Umbria, particularly in Assisi, during the Jubilee and the centenary year of St. Francis’ death in 2026.
The Custos of the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Italy (Assisi), Friar Marco MORONI, was also present, accompanied by Friar Jorge FERNÁNDEZ.
The meeting highlighted the need for funding to organize accommodations, transportation, and road access for a very large number of people, and funding to improve accessibility and ensure safety. The committee is mounting a significant effort to effectively manage the reception of pilgrims, especially during peak periods such as April 2025, when Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized, late July and early August 2025, for the Jubilee of Adolescents, and the days surrounding the Feast of St. Francis on October 4.
Friar Marco MORONI said about this: “For our part, as friars of the Sacred Convent, we will do everything we can to accommodate everyone. We try to have a big heart. We also appreciate the Government’s decision, at the request of the Italian Region of Umbria, to set up this committee, which includes various religious and lay entities on the front lines, in order to ensure adequate hospitality for the many pilgrims and visitors who will come to Assisi during these special years. Hospitality comes from the heart and is an attitude to be cultivated and nurtured, but it also requires appropriate facilities to host people simply yet safely.”
Press Room - Andrea ROSSI
Sacred Convent of St. Francis
Union of the Conferences of Ministers Provincial
of the Franciscan Family of Italy
- PRESS RELEASE -
BRANDUARDI SINGS ST. FRANCIS FOR THE JUBILEE YEAR
AND THE 8TH CENTENARY OF THE CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES
The year 2025 will be a year of grace for the entire Italian Franciscan Family, as it marks the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures and the Holy Year of the Universal Church. This is a fitting occasion, as part of the various jubilee celebrations, to reflect on the Canticle of the Creatures, which St. Francis composed in 1225, just a year before his death, while he was nearly blind.
To celebrate these events, there will be a concert series with singer-songwriter Angelo BRANDUARDI who will perform this significant poetic composition from Italian literature. The concert series will be an opportunity to spread the Franciscan message in public squares, theaters, and churches.
This concert event is sponsored by the Franciscan Family of Italy and was successfully tested during the 2000 Jubilee Year with more than 150 concerts across Italy and Europe.
These concerts will also be repeated during the 2025 Jubilee Year when the artist and his orchestra will present “L’INFINITAMENTE PICCOLO” [Infinitely Small]. The concert will feature eleven songs composed in collaboration with Ennio MORRICONE, Franco BATTIATO, the musical ensemble Madredeus, and the folk group La Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare. The very popular song based on the Canticle of the Creatures will be performed as well.
The Italian Ministers Provincial representing the Friars Minor, Friars Minor Conventual, Friars Minor Capuchin and the Third Order Regular, delegated Friar Paolo FIASCONARO to oversee the project and work with its organizers. All of the Franciscan communities of Italy and other ecclesial entities have been asked to invite the artist to perform at patronal festivals, cultural events, and summer festivals. The concert series is also an opportunity to expose a broader audience to the values of the Encyclical Laudato Si’, in which Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of safeguarding creation and our “common home” as part of a commitment to sustainable peace.
Public entities, including municipalities, provinces, and regions, can be encouraged to get involved in reflecting on the significance of the Jubilee Year while also revisiting the Canticle of the Creatures during this centennial celebration. This event presents a valuable opportunity to enrich various celebrations across Italy with spiritual and cultural significance, countering society’s often superficial messages that are lacking in meaningful values. All of the concerts to be held will be performed for charity, to benefit Franciscan missions worldwide.
Rome, December 24, 2024
Friar Paolo FIASCONARO
Delegate of the Franciscan Family of Italy
for the BRANDUARDI Project
INFORMATION
For further information:
Friar Paolo FIASCONARO
email:
cell. 347.7789969
WhatsApp 349.7990521
Artist’s Production Company:
Alessandro IANNACCI
email:
cell. 345 8767939
Morena RASPANTI
email:
cell. 338 2954537
The opening celebration for the 800th anniversary of St. Francis composing the Canticle of the Creatures will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the Church of San Damiano in Assisi. The celebration will continue that same morning at the Bishop’s Palace - Sanctuary of the Spoliation (Church of Santa Maria Maggiore).
To allow everyone to participate, we are providing a link to a live broadcast of the celebration, as well as links to download pamphlets with the text of the celebration in different languages.
The live broadcast can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/live/E_KP1PK6OXo
The pamphlets can be downloaded using the following links:
- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Spanish
N.B. -Thanks to live streaming, viewers can watch the entire celebration on the communication channels of the Seraphic Province of St. Francis, namely: YouTube @FratiMinoriAssisiOFM, Facebook Frati Minori Assisi, and via live television broadcasts from Maria Vision and EWTN.
-The opening ceremony of the centenary will also be broadcast on the following channels:
The website of the Franciscan Centenaries: www.centenarifrancescani.org; the Diocese of Assisi; and the Laudato Si’ Movement.
-At the end of the celebration, representatives from the Conference of the Franciscan Family will venerate St. Francis’ mortal remains in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis. This event in the crypt will be broadcast live on YouTube @BasilicaSanFrancescodAssisi and Facebook @SAN FRANCESCO D’ASSISI.
Instructions for Photographers and Videographers
The editors of various publications, magazines, websites and other media are invited to download real-time images and videos provided by the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent of San Francesco in Assisi at the following link: https://bit.ly/4ad4fkl.
When using this material, please credit: Copyright: Sacred Convent Photographic Office
Press Room - Sacred Convent of St. Francis
In 2025, we will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures. In the spring of 1225, shortly after his experience at La Verna, St. Francis of Assisi chose to spend fifty days at the Monastery of San Damiano, where St. Clare and the first Poor Sisters lived.
During his stay at San Damiano, Francis had been suffering through a night of pain caused by his illnesses, when he was visited by the Lord, who reassured him of His love and salvation. This event led Francis to compose the hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God that we all know.
As with the past 800th anniversary events, this year there will again be a celebration involving the entire Franciscan Family to officially kick off the centenary.
The celebration will begin at the Church of San Damiano in Assisi,
at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025. It will continue, that same morning,
at the Bishop’s Palace - Sanctuary of the Spoliation [Church of Santa Maria Maggiore],
where it will end later that morning.
Both parts of the celebration will be available for online viewing, while those wishing to attend in person may choose either location. In both sanctuaries, the other part of the celebration will be projected on a screen for attendees.
The event starts at the location where St. Francis composed most of the Canticle of the Creatures and praised God for all His creatures. It concludes at the place where Francis’ verse about forgiveness resonates, inviting others to chant with him: “Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love.”
To follow the celebration online, go to: https://www.centenarifrancescani.org/
The website will also offer downloadable booklets containing the text of the celebration in various languages.
Committee of the Franciscan Family for the Franciscan Centenary
N.B. -Thanks to live streaming, viewers can watch the entire celebration on the communication channels of the Seraphic Province of St. Francis, namely: YouTube @FratiMinoriAssisiOFM, Facebook Frati Minori Assisi, and via live television broadcasts from Maria Vision and EWTN.
-The opening ceremony of the centenary will also be broadcast on the following channels:
The website of the Franciscan Centenaries: www.centenarifrancescani.org; the Diocese of Assisi; and the Laudato Si’ Movement.
-At the end of the celebration, representatives from the Conference of the Franciscan Family will venerate St. Francis’ mortal remains in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis. This event in the crypt will be broadcast live on YouTube @BasilicaSanFrancescodAssisi and Facebook @SAN FRANCESCO D’ASSISI.
Instructions for Photographers and Videographers
The editors of various publications, magazines, websites and other media are invited to download real-time images and videos provided by the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent of San Francesco in Assisi at the following link: https://bit.ly/4ad4fkl.
When using this material, please credit: Copyright: Sacred Convent Photographic Office
Press Room - Sacred Convent of St. Francis
All members of the Franciscan Family, both religious and lay, are invited to the Sanctuary of La Verna, Italy, on Friday, January 5, 2024, to attend the solemn inauguration of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata.
The event is entitled: “From Wounds, New Life.” It can also be followed via live-stream at 11:00 a.m. that Friday (Rome time) on:
https://www.centenarifrancescani.org.
Prot. N. 35/2023
November 18, 2023
To the Brothers and Sisters of the Franciscan Family,
A few weeks ago, it was announced to you all that the Holy Father wanted to grant us, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio, the gift of an indulgence. We were careful to pass this on immediately so that in our lives and ministries we could consider it and make effective use of it for ourselves and for the faithful who attend our churches.
More recently, on November 14, 2023, the official Decree came from the Apostolic Penitentiary (English translation attached), the contents of which had already been anticipated in its essential features and communicated to you in many languages. Only two aspects are highlighted here:
- It is specified that it is possible to receive the gift of Indulgence by visiting, as pilgrims, any Franciscan church around the world.
- The usual conditions are to be included (Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff); it is also specified that it is necessary to devoutly participate in the jubilee rites, or at least to pause before the creche prepared there, spending an appropriate span of time in pious meditation, concluding with the Our Father, the Profession of Faith and invocations to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as well as St. Francis of Assisi.
An English translation of the Italian text of the Decree is attached in the margin: it is not an official translation, but it can serve as a simple aid if someone prefers to have a modern language reference. I take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful Advent!
Fraternally,
Br. Michele Mottura
Secretary
Conference of the Franciscan Family
Download the Decree:
ENG ESP ITA LATINO POL PRT DEU
