NAVIGATION

About the Jubiliee Year
Answer the Call
Anniversary
Resources
Events

About the Jubilee Year of St. Francis

At the behest of Pope Leo XIV, the Apostolic Penitentiary has decreed a Jubilee Year of St. Francis will be celebrated from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027.

Immediately following the Jubilee Year of Hope, the Jubilee Year of St. Francis invites all pilgrims to transform their hope into action, following the example of St. Francis of Assisi to become models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.

Pope Leo XIV prays at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Photograph by VATICAN MEDIA /Catholic Press Photo. Credit: Independent Photo Agency / Alamy Live News

Answer the pope’s call to live like Francis

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Why are we celebrating a Jubilee Year of St. Francis?

By reflecting on St. Francis’s life and legacy, we are called to move beyond mere observation and actively address today’s crises of war, division and poverty through humble acts of service.

How to receive a plenary indulgence

On the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis into eternal life, Pope Leo XIV is offering Catholics an extraordinary opportunity to seek God’s grace in a powerful way.

Inspired by the “Pardon of Assisi” granted by Pope Honorius III to St. Francis, a plenary indulgence will be

granted to all faithful who make a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis in any part of the world and

complete the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions).

If you are unable to undertake a pilgrimage, the plenary indulgence will be granted to you if you spiritually join the Jubilee celebrations and offer your

prayers, pains or sufferings to God.

Read the Decree Find a Franciscan Church

Live Like Francis reflections

May 1, 2026

Pray for guidance like Francis

April 7, 2026

Begin anew like Francis

800 years after the death of St. Francis of Assisi, his spirit lives on

Eight hundred years ago, St. Francis of Assisi embraced Sister Death and passed to eternal life. The founder of the Franciscan Order spent his life caring for the poor and promoting peace during a turbulent time, all while accompanied by his Franciscan brothers, sisters and friends.

Centuries later, the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe are proud to carry on his legacy through humble service to the people of God throughout the United States, from Alaska to Puerto Rico, and through missions in Cuba and Jamaica.

As we commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis on October 3, 2026, we join Pope Leo XIV in his hope that St. Francis’s message of peace will find “a profound echo in the Church and society today.”

May the Lord give you His peace!

800th anniversary of the Transitus

The 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi will be commemorated on October 3, 2026, by Franciscans around the world. The Transitus is observed through an evening prayer service that commemorates St. Francis’s passage from death to eternal life, and you are invited to participate at a Franciscan church. Click here to find churches in the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

During the service, we read and reflect on the Gospel passage that Francis asked his brothers to read aloud while he was on his death bed: John 13: 1-17. In this passage, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples – an act of humble service that Francis used as a model for his life. Through the Transitus service, we renew our own commitment to following Jesus through the example of St. Francis of Assisi.

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Resources for the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis

Below are resources to commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s passing from the Committee of the Franciscan Family for the Franciscan Centenary:

The Death of St. Francis in 1226: Looking Back after 800 Years

Diverse historical documents describe the death of St. Francis in 1226 in very different ways. Who was present? What did he say? Where was he buried? As we begin this year of remembering Eighth Centenary of his death, what can we learn about his final days and his peaceful passing? Br. Bill Short, OFM, explores these questions in a lecture hosted by the Franciscan School of Theology.

Pope Leo’s Prayer to St. Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago

went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,

intercede for us before the Lord.

You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano,

teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation

that breaks down every wall.

You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war

and misunderstanding,

give us the courage to build bridges

where the world raises up boundaries.

In this time afflicted by conflict and division,

intercede for us so that we may become

peacemakers:

unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that

comes from Christ.

Amen

Francis of Assisi: A Seed for Eternal Life – The Spiritual Legacy of a Christian Man

Eight hundred years ago, St. Francis left this world, but the seed he planted continues to germinate. This reflection guide provides an introduction to St. Francis’s spirituality so that we can better understand his intentions and, in doing so, renew our call to follow Christ.

This resource is available in Italiano - English - Español - Deutsch - Français - Hrvatski - Polski - Português - Magyar

Guidelines to Celebrate the Easter of St. Francis

This document outlines helpful themes for those who are planning commemorative events.

This resource is available in Italiano - English - Español

Centenary of the Transit of St. Francis Worksheets

Drawing on the richness of the Franciscan sources and the Bible, these worksheets are tools for individual or communal reflection on the life of St. Francis.

This resource is available in Italiano - English - Español - Deutsch - Français - Hrvatski - Polski - Português - Slovenščina

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Upcoming Events

2026

May 30

Mass in honor of St. Francis of Assisi

10 a.m.

Click here for more information

Holy Family Church, 3027 Pearl St., Oldenburg, IN 47036

June 14