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
On November 29, 2023, the Franciscan Family in Nazareth, Israel, gathered to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the promulgation of the Later Rule. Their celebration coincided with the Franciscan centenary celebrated the same day in Rome.
The celebration in Nazareth included Mass in the grotto of the Basilica of the Annunciation, presided over by Friar Wojciech BOŁOZ, OFM, the Guardian and Rector of the Basilica as well as the Shrine of the Holy Family. All members of the Franciscan Family present in Nazareth attended the Mass, including the Friars Minor, the Poor Clares, other Franciscan sisters and members of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS). After the Mass, Friar Wojciech invited all the celebrants and participants to a fraternal meal and an exchange of greetings at the Casa Nova, a hostel located opposite the Basilica. The atmosphere was very joyful as everyone met with one another; it was the first time in a long time that the whole Franciscan Family had gathered together!
Ramez SALEM, OFS Nazareth
To the members
of the Franciscan family
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It is with joy in my heart that I wish to send you my best wishes on such an important occasion for the entire Franciscan Family, whose prayerful presence and filial closeness I have felt since the beginning of the Petrine Ministry. The eighth centenary of the confirmation of the Rule of the Friars Minor by Pope Honorius III which took place at the Lateran on November 29, 1223, is an auspicious occasion not only because it commemorates an historical event, but above all because it revives in you the same spirit that inspired Francis of Assisi to strip himself of everything, and give rise to a unique and fascinating form of life since it is rooted in the Gospel and lived sine glossa. May this jubilee be for each of you a time of inner rebirth, of a renewed missionary mandate for the Church which calls you to go out to meet the world where many brothers and sisters are waiting to be consoled, loved and cared for.
Therefore, moved by these sentiments, I am here to deliver you some exhortations that arise precisely from the words of the Poverello of Assisi, who advises his friars to “[…] observe poverty and humility and the holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ […]” (Regola bollata XII:4).
Observing the Holy Gospel
The Regola bollata in fact begins and ends with an explicit reference to the Gospel. The opening expression is an illuminating synthesis of the entire Rule: “The Rule and life of the friars minor is this: to observe the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without anything of one’s own and in chastity” (Regola bollata I:1).
For St. Francis, the Gospel was at the center of his existence; and the Church has approved its purpose, returning it to him and to all of you Franciscans as a text that no longer expresses only the spiritual intuition of a Founder, but a form of life. It is a message of joy that I have often wished to point out because it “fills the heart and the entire life of those who encounter Jesus.” (Evangelii gaudium, No. 1).
It is therefore urgent to return to the foundation of a Christian and baptismal commitment, capable of being inspired, in every choice, by the Word of the Lord: Christ is the focal point of your spirituality! Ben men and women who truly learn “rule and life” in His school!
Obedience to the Church
Beloved, to live the teachings of the Master it is necessary to remain in the Church. Francis manifests this in a decisive manner because to the introductory sentence which describes the desire to follow the evangelical counsels, he immediately adds suggestive words, singular in content and language: “Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to our Lord Pope Honorius and his successors canonically elected and to the Roman Church. Let the other brothers be bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors. (Regola bollata I:2-3)
In that bond of “obedience and reverence” to the Pope and to the Church of Rome, he acknowledges an essential element for faithfulness to the call and for receiving Christ in the Eucharist; This is why he declares without hesitation his indispensable belonging to the Church. So then, live the spirit of the Rule by listening to and dialoging with one another, as the synodal path suggests doing. Support the Church with a firm hold, repair it by your example and by your testimony, even when it seems to cost more!
Going Out into the World
Finally, I want to take up an insight always found in the Regola bollata about going out into the world. Speaking in first person, the Seraphic Father articulates thusly: “I counsel, admonish and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ not to quarrel or dispute or judge others when they go about in the world; but let them be meek, peaceful, modest, gentle and humble, speaking courteously to everyone, as is becoming. […] Into whatever house they enter, let them first say: Peace be to this house […]” (Regola bollata III:10-13)
Going around the world for you Franciscan friars and sisters really means realizing your itinerant vocation in the manner of fraternity and a peaceful life, without quarrels or disputes either between you or with others, giving proof of “minority”, with meekness and docility, announcing the peace of the Lord and entrusting yourselves to providence: it is a special plan for evangelization, possible for everyone.
From this perspective, it is good to rediscover the beauty of the characteristic Franciscan evangelization which is borne from a fraternity to promote fraternity; in fact, it is a life that speaks, love given in service is the greatest vehicle for proclamation. Find strength, therefore, in that peculiar vocation, proper to “minors” and “the poor,” such as you are by your desire and your sense of belonging.
It is given to you by Francis in his Rule and I am convinced that it is in tune with the invitation I address to the Christian Community to be a “Church that goes out”: “In fidelity to the example of the Master, it is vitally important for the Church today to go forth and preach the Gospel to all: to all places, on all occasions, without hesitation, reluctance or fear. The joy of the Gospel is for all people: no one can be excluded.” (Evangelii gaudium, No. 23).
And therefore I say to you: do not hesitate to go about the world in “fraternity” and in “minority” sharing the blessedness of poverty, becoming an eloquent sign of evangelism and showing to our age – marked so unfortunately by wars and conflict, by all kinds of egoism and rationale for exploitation of the environment and of the poor – that the Gospel is indeed the good news for man to find the best direction for constructing a new humanity together with the courage to set out towards Jesus, who “though he was rich, became poor for us, so that we might become rich through his poverty” (Cf. 2 Cor 8:9).
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I entrust to you the mission of recognizing the right paths you must follow in order to correspond boldly and faithfully to the charism you have received. As you prepare to recall the fundamental stages in the history of this vast Franciscan Family, I invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi and I willingly send my Blessing, asking that you please continue to pray for me.
Rome, from St. John Lateran. November 9, 2023.
Anniversary of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Cathedral of Rome
Participation via Streaming
On November 29, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. (Italian time), the 800th anniversary of the confirmation of the Later Rule will be celebrated at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
November 29, 1223, was the day that Pope Honorius III confirmed the Rule that St. Francis had presented to him. The pope returned the Rule to Francis and his brothers as a mandate from the Church. Just so, Pope Francis will be returning the Rule to us with a message confirming us once again in the mission of going around the world to live and bear witness to the Gospel.
This celebration will involve all members of the Franciscan Family. It will be a time of prayer and fraternity, marked by gratitude to God for what he has done in the Church and in the world through our Franciscan presence. Moreover, we shall pray together today to be faithful to the vocation we have received.
We invite you to join all of our fraternities around the world in attending this important celebration. It will be live-streamed on the official website of the Franciscan Centenary (www.centenarifrancescani.org) or via the YouTube link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/5_YYnU9LYhU?si=XutKAQOMUcTAhLHi
As we gather from different countries around the world to participate in the same liturgy, may this event be an opportunity to grow in fraternity and communion in our respective Orders, and even more broadly, as brothers and sisters, who in various ways and forms, are committed to living the Gospel according to the teachings of St. Francis.
Eight hundred years ago, on November 29, 1223, Pope Honorius III approved the Rule of the Friars Minor though his Bull Solet annuere, which he addressed to Brother Francis and the other members of his Order. The incipit at the beginning of the Bull declares that the document is a confirmation of what Pope Innocent III had already orally approved during the famous meeting that took place in Rome around 1210. This is how Francis himself remembers it in his Testament: “And after the Lord gave me brothers, no one showed me what I should do, but the Most High himself revealed to me that I had to live according to the pattern of the holy Gospel. And I had this written down simply and in a few words and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me” (Testament 14-15; FF 116).
In 1211, Brother Bernard of Quintavalle brought this so-called propositum vitae to Bologna where it gained its first admirers, as narrated in Chapter 5 of the Little Flowers of St. Francis (FF 1833).
For eight hundred years, the Later Rule, sealed with the “bulla” of Pope Honorius, has been the juridical and charismatic point of reference for the friars of the Franciscan First Order in Bologna, namely:, the Friars Minor at the Basilica of Sant’Antonio and, more recently, the Church of Santo Stefano; the Conventual Franciscan friars at the Basilica of San Francesco (who were declared distinct from the Friars Minor by the “Generalissimo Chapter” of 1517); and the Capuchin Franciscans (founded around 1525) at the Church of San Giuseppe.
Through them, the Later Rule has been going into the city every day for eight hundred years, not in search of admirers of itself, but in search of admirers of what the Rule was founded upon: “the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
However, a question arises: eight hundred years later, what can this text still have to say?
We presented this question to twelve people from Bologna: Davide CONTE, Pietro ZAULI, David COLGAN, Andrea LAPPI, Valentina MARCHESINI, Daniele RAVAGLIA, Luisa LEONI, Mauro FELICORI, Elena UGOLINI, Marco DEL GOVERNATORE, Chiara LOCATELLI and Marina ORLANDI. On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 8.45 p.m., each of them will speak about one of the twelve chapters of the Later Rule. The event will take place at the San Francesco Basilica and Friary in Bologna.
Reader: Jacopo TREBBI
Music: Adrea GIANESSI
Promoted by: Biblioteca San Francesco Bologna
INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/events/237046029392579/?ref=newsfeed
The Conference of the Franciscan Family is pleased to announce that a plenary indulgence has been granted from December 8, 2023, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, until February 2, 2024, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The indulgence may be obtained by visiting a church served by Franciscans and praying before the nativity scene set up there.
In the letter the Conference wrote to all the confreres, it states that this indulgence, linked to the Franciscan Centenary of the Christmas at Greccio, was requested and obtained from Pope Francis in order to promote the spiritual renewal of the faithful and increase the life of grace. Even those who cannot physically visit a Franciscan church can experience the Indulgence by offering their sufferings or carrying out a spiritual sacrifice.
Conference of the Franciscan Family
Prot. N. 31/2023
Assisi, October 4, 2023
Solemnity of the Seraphic Father St. Francis
To the attention of the
brothers and sisters
of the Franciscan Family
Plenary Indulgence on the Occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the Christmas at Greccio
as Experienced by St. Francis of Assisi
Dear brothers and sisters,
may the Lord give you peace!
We write to you from Assisi, where we are gathered on the occasion of the celebrations for our Seraphic Father, to share with you the great gift and privilege that the Holy Father wanted to grant us on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio. Here St. Francis wanted to commemorate the birth of the Lord starting with a nativity scene, leading to the Eucharistic celebration, where Jesus Christ makes himself present in the bread and wine.
During this Centenary, on April 17, 2023, we addressed the following petition to the Holy Father: “in order to promote the spiritual renewal of the faithful and increase the life of grace, we ask that the faithful receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions from December 8, 2023, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to February 2, 2024, the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by visiting the churches run by Franciscan families throughout the world and stopping in prayer in front of the nativity scenes set up there. Likewise, those who are sick or unable to participate physically can equally benefit from the gift of the plenary indulgence, offering their sufferings to the Lord or carrying out practices of piety.”
The Apostolic Penitentiary favorably welcomed the request, granting the right to announce it publicly.
Therefore, in all the churches entrusted to us for pastoral care,
it will be possible for all the faithful
to receive a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions,
from December 8, 2023 to February 2, 2024.
We ask you to share this “privilege” in all our locations which fits in well with the special relationship that was established between St. Francis and the Church when he asked the Pope for the Indulgence for those who visited the Portiuncula; and we hope that it will be an opportunity for communion and spiritual renewal for every brother and sister in the entire Franciscan family.
May the Lord guide your steps
and give you his mercy!
Your President and Ministers General,
Frances Duncan, OSF
President IFC-TOR
Tibor Kauser, OFS
Minister General
Massimo Fusarelli, OFM
Minister General
Roberto Genuin, OFMCap
Minister General
Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, OFMConv
Minister General
Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR
Minister General
Download PDF:
ARA DEU ENG ESP ESP-España FRA HRV HUN ITA POL PRT RUS UKR
This exhibition is a review of materials and testimony, most of which has been carefully selected from the rich patrimonial archive of the Friars Minor Province of St. Bonaventure in Italy. Hosted by the Aracoeli Cultural Center, the exhibition recounts the vibrant and centuries-old work of the friars in central Italy. This cultural offering is more broadly known as the St. Francis Project.
The exhibition has been installed at the San Francesco a Ripa Church and Friary complex in Rome, where St. Francis of Assisi himself once stayed. The location was deliberately chosen because of its ideal connection with other places in Rome, such as the very centralized Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, on the Capitoline Hill and the quiet but vital San Bonaventura Friary on the Palatine Hill.
The exhibition displays materials from the 13th century to the present day. All of them are centered on the figure of St. Francis. They also trace the path of the development and life of the Order of Friars Minor. The exhibition aims to lead the viewer on an emotional journey, alternating moments of rest and meditation with moments of movement and conquest. This refers to internal conquest, of course, which is aimed at recovering one’s sense of Franciscan identity through a rich program of artistic and literary experiences, as presented by the St. Francis Project and later, by other cultural occasions commemorating the upcoming Franciscan Centenaries.
The exhibition, moreover, is not meant to be a short-lived event. Rather, it is a required first step in reopening the library-museum at San Francesco a Ripa to the public. Besides its extraordinary works of art, the library also houses some thirty thousand ancient and valuable books and preserves the completely restored and almost unknown frescoes of Emanuele da Como.
On display:
Panels and canvases relating to St. Francis. Exhibition of precious objects, codices, engravings, prints, and reliquaries―living and concrete evidence testifying to the history of the Franciscan movement in the Regions of Lazio and Abruzzo, Italy.
For hours and reservations, go to the website:
https://www.centroculturalearacoeli.org/mostra-nel-nome-di-san-francesco/ [Italian language only]
Assisi: Logo Selected for 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi
The National Committee for the Celebration of the 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi, chaired by poet Davide RONDONI, met in Assisi on October 4, 2023, the feast day of St. Francis, Italy’s patron saint. During the meeting, the Committee chose the official logo for the celebration. The logo was created by Isabella MANUCCI, a graphic designer from Rimini, Italy. Her logo design prevailed over all the others that the committee had received.
The Committee is tasked with developing a cultural program that relates to the life, work and locations associated with St. Francis of Assisi. In addition, it is charged with arranging for the protection and enhancement of the artistic heritage assets involved, in view of the anniversary celebration that will take place in 2026. […]
“The Committee is already outlining the cultural activities that will commemorate Francis, saint and poet, on this important occasion. In line with the Commedia of Dante Alighieri, we particularly want to emphasize how much the Christian and poetic figure of Francis still represents a fruitful crossroads, and a meeting point, between Western and Eastern spirituality. Moreover, we want to show how much this revered and world-famous Italian contributed to the joyful understanding of our relationship with all creatures, a cherished sign of the mysterious goodness of the Mystery. In addition to a substantial plan for more books and building up the Assisi Library Fund, there will be programs aimed at young people, calls to social action, exhibitions and new works of art commissioned. Thus, we want this celebration to leave a mark in the academic world and to be actively remembered,” said Committee Chairman Davide RONDONI.
The Committee is comprised of Davide RONDONI (Chairman) and members Stefania PROIETTI; Franco CARDINI; Vincenzo ROSITO; Gianfranco FORMICHETTI; Emanuela VARANO; the Most Reverend Felice ACCROCCA, Archbishop of Benevento, Italy; Fiammetta MODENA; Father Antonino TREPPIEDI; Friar Giulio CESAREO, OFM Conv.; Gianfranco BRUNELLI; Enrico MENESTÒ; Fabrizio GAREGGIA; Matteo FORTUNATI; Grado Giovanni MERLO; Stefano BRUFANI; Marina ROSATI; Friar Francesco PILONI, OFM; Friar Marco MORONI, OFM Conv.; and Paolo VIAN.
Extract from a press release on the website of the Italian Ministry of Culture, at:
https://cultura.gov.it/comunicato/25316
Greccio and the O Antiphons
Creating Your Nativity Scene with Pope Francis is a free Franciscan resource*, available in fifteen languages, honoring the 800th anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio.
This easy-to-use meditation can be utilized:
- for a dramatic, large living nativity scene with hundreds of people,
- in a family home or within a religious community,
- in a school or parish,
- for one’s personal devotion.
Visit:
https://franciscanvoice.org/resources/ and https://vozfranciscana.org/recursos/
There are also flyers and posters available in English, Spanish, and Italian, as well as a QR Code to help people access the resource more easily.
Please share far and wide!
High resolution images of the art are available upon request at:
To inquire about the possibility of translation into other languages, email:
The Guardian of the friary at Greccio, Friar Giovanni LOCHE, OFM, says that this resource is:
- A journey, an adventure to discover the Wonderful Secret of God.
- An interweaving of history, prayer, and art to remind us of our sublime dignity as Children of God.
Channeling the spirit of St. Francis, Pope Francis says:
“The nativity scene is like a living Gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture. As we contemplate the Christmas story, we are invited to set out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman” (Admirabile Signum, 1).
Friar Michael LASKY, General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
*This project is the contribution of Roman VI, the JPIC Representatives of the Franciscan Family, for the celebration of the 800th Anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio.
A Special Thanks is offered for the work of the artist, Friar Joseph DORNIAK, OFM Conv.; the managing editor of “Franciscan Voice,” Laura BAUER; as well as the countless translators, proofreaders, and layout designers.
St. Francis Magazine Editorial Staff
On Saturday, September 16, 2023, the Ministers General of the Franciscan First Order: Friars Massimo FUSARELLI, OFM; Roberto GENUIN, OFM Cap.; and Carlos A. TROVARELLI, OFM Conv; met in Assisi at the Cortile di Francesco [Courtyard of Francis - an annual cultural symposium] to conduct a historical discussion that will likely impact Franciscan debate for years to come. The Ministers General met to reflect upon the Later Rule of St. Francis of Assisi, eight hundred years after its approval.
Other speakers contributed to the reflection as well. One was Professor Maria Pia ALBERZONI who discussed the work of the friars and the normative nature of the Rule from a historical perspective. Another was the poet Davide RONDONI, gave a detailed, aesthetic perspective on the relationship between the masculine and the feminine, and on the mission of Franciscans living in fraternity in today’s world. The Custos of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, Friar Marco MORONI, moderated the discussion.
