PILGRIMAGE – RENEWAL – PEACE
Pope Leo XIV solemnly proclaimed a special Holy Year dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's passing into the Lord. This is an important sacred event for the Church, inviting all the People of God to turn their hearts to a saint who lived the Gospel thoroughly and left a deep mark on Christian history.
The Holy Year will be celebrated from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, as a special time of grace for the faithful to make pilgrimages, repent, renew their lives of faith, and rediscover their calling as children of God in a spirit of humility and trust.
Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of the Order of Friars Minor, was a living witness to the Gospel through his life of radical poverty, profound humility, and ardent love for God, his neighbor, and all of creation. He chose to renounce all worldly glory to follow the poor and crucified Christ, becoming “God's poor man” in the heart of the Church. In the history of the Church, Saint Francis is known for many miracles and signs, especially the reception of the five stigmata in 1224 on Mount La Verna. This is a unique grace, expressing his deep and complete union with the mystery of the Cross and the Passion of Jesus Christ. In addition, St. Francis left the Church the Canticle of the Sun, a hymn praising God through the beauty of creation, reflecting a spirituality of gratitude, contemplation, and protection of our common home. His mission of proclaiming peace and universal brotherhood was vividly demonstrated when Saint Francis courageously crossed the boundaries of conflict to meet the Muslim Sultan Al-Kamil during the Crusades, in a spirit of dialogue, respect, and genuine brotherhood.
In that spiritual light, the Holy Year dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi is a special time of grace, inviting the faithful to renew their spiritual lives, return to the Gospel, follow the example of St. Francis in a life of humility, poverty, simplicity, and love, and commit themselves to becoming messengers of peace, reconciliation, and unity in a world still marked by division and violence.
Throughout the Holy Year, the faithful can receive a plenary indulgence, according to the usual conditions prescribed by the Church, including: confession, Holy Communion, and prayer according to the Holy Father's intentions. A plenary indulgence is granted to those who make a pilgrimage to churches, monasteries, or shrines belonging to the Franciscan Order, or visit places dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi throughout the world, with a contrite heart and sincere devotion.
For the elderly, the infirm, or those who are unable to make a pilgrimage in person, the Church still generously grants a plenary indulgence to those who are spiritually united, offering their sufferings and sacrifices to God and fervently praying according to the Pope's intentions, in union with the entire Church during this Holy Year of Grace.
🕊️ Message of the Holy Year:
“May God make me an instrument of His peace.”