The 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi
The Italian hill town of Assisi has marked the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis with a historic, year-long jubilee climaxing on 4 October 2026. Known affectionately as the Poverello (the Little Poor Man), Saint Francis passed away on the night of 3 October 1226 at the age of 45. Eight centuries later, his home town of Assisi became the global epicentre for pilgrims, cardinals, and friars celebrating his eternal legacy of peace, poverty, and stewardship of creation.
The multi-centennial milestone was honoured through major liturgical and public events centred in the heart of Umbria:
- The Transitus Procession: On the eve of his feast day, 3 October 2026, about 3,000 pilgrims retraced the historic 2-mile uphill route of the St Francis coffin. Singing hymns, the candlelit procession marched from the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels - which houses the Porziuncola chapel where the saint died - up to the Basilica of St Francis where his remains rest.
- Midnight Chimes and Mass: At the stroke of midnight entering 4 October, church bells tolled across Assisi. A solemn midnight Mass was celebrated at the tomb by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime.
- Exposition of the Relics: Earlier in the jubilee year (from 22 February to 22 March 2026), the global Franciscan community hosted an unprecedented public veneration. The mortal remains of St Francis were placed on extended public display in the crypt of the lower church, drawing hundreds of thousands of global bookings.
The theme for the centenary - San Francesco Vive" (Saint Francis Lives On) - emphasises that his 13th-century values remain vitally relevant today. Proclaimed as a special jubilee year by Pope Leo, Catholics worldwide have been invited to use the 800-year mark to renew commitments to environmental ecology, care for the marginalised, and active peace-building.
The Franciscan movement he started has grown to encompass nearly 30,000 friars alongside countless Poor Clares and lay orders worldwide.