800 Years of Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi - A Jubilee Celebration — 1226 to 2026
Eight centuries ago, on the evening of October 3, 1226, a small, frail man lay on the bare earth near the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, singing Psalm 141 as he breathed his last. That man was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone — known to the world as Francis of Assisi — and his passing was not mourned as a loss, but celebrated as a passage.
This year, 2026, the universal Church marks 800 years since that sacred moment. It is a milestone of immense spiritual significance — and an invitation for all of us to reflect on what it means to live, to surrender, and to trust in God’s eternal embrace.
As we journey through this Jubilee Year of Saint Francis (2026), let us take time to pray the Prayer of St. Francis, reflect on his life, and allow his witness to renew our own faith. Whether through acts of service, care for the poor, or quiet moments of gratitude for God’s creation — each of us can echo the spirit of the Poverello of Assisi.
“All praise be Yours, my Lord, through all that You have made.”
— St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures
