Year of St Francis of Assisi

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March 30, 2026

In January 2026, Pope Leo XIV inaugurated a special Jubilee Year of Saint Francis to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi (1226–2026).

In a letter addressed to the leaders of the Franciscan Family, the Holy Father presents this jubilee year as a time of grace for the whole Church, inviting all the faithful to rediscover the spiritual legacy of the Poverello of Assisi (“the little poor one”) and its enduring relevance for our world today.

At the heart of the Pope’s message is peace — the peace that shaped Francis’s life and witness. Recalling the saint’s simple greeting, “May the Lord give you peace,” Pope Leo reminds us that peace is not something humanity can manufacture on its own. Rather, it is a gift that flows from God, revealed fully in Christ and entrusted to believers to be received, lived, and shared each day.

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May the example and spiritual legacy of this Saint, strong in faith, steadfast in hope and ardent in active charity, inspire in everyone the importance of trusting in the Lord, of living a life faithful to the Gospel.

The Year of Saint Francis will take place from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027.

Read Pope Leo's letter for the opening of the Eighth Centenary of the death of St Francis of Assisi

St Francis of Assisi: A Life That Still Inspires

St Francis of Assisi was born in Italy around 1181 or 1182 and died in 1226, still a young man. Although his life was short, his influence on the Church and the world has been immense. Today he is widely loved as the patron saint of Italy, animals, and ecology.

Francis did not begin life as a saint. As a young man, he enjoyed comfort, popularity, and pleasure. After a serious illness, however, he came to realise that this way of life left him empty. Through prayer and suffering, Francis experienced a deep inner conversion and became convinced that God was calling him to live the Gospel fully and simply.

What made Francis distinctive was his desire to take the Gospel seriously in everyday life. He gave up wealth, status, and security so that he could depend entirely on God. A key moment in his conversion came when he embraced a leper — someone he had once feared — and discovered joy where there had once been revulsion.

While praying in the small church of San Damiano, Francis heard Christ say, “Francis, go and rebuild my house.” At first, he understood this literally, repairing neglected chapels. Over time, he realised that God was calling him to renew the Church through his way of life: poverty, humility, and faith.

Francis chose poverty not because he rejected the world, but so that he could live with greater freedom and joy. Though some thought him foolish, others were drawn to his sincerity. Without intending it, a community grew around him, centred simply on living the Gospel. Francis remained deeply faithful to the Church and worked for unity.

Francis balanced prayer and active service, preaching the Good News while returning often to solitude. He even travelled to the Middle East during the Crusades to meet a Muslim leader, seeking peace rather than conflict. In his final years, despite illness and suffering — including receiving the wounds of Christ — he remained rooted in trust.

Francis is especially remembered for his love of creation. He saw the natural world as family — brother sun, sister moon — and praised God for all life, even death itself. As he died, he welcomed “Sister Death” with peaceful trust.

St Francis still matters today because he reminds us that faith is not only something we believe, but something we live — through simplicity, compassion, care for creation, and joyful trust in God.

How Can You Celebrate the Year of St Francis?

The Year of St Francis is an invitation to pause, reflect, and rediscover a Gospel way of life rooted in peace, simplicity, fraternity, and care for creation.

While inspired by Franciscan tradition, this jubilee year is offered to everyone — individuals, families, parishes, schools, and communities.

Below are some simple, meaningful ways people can take part.

Walk the Path of Peace

At the heart of St Francis’s life was a deep, Christ‑centred peace. This peace was not passive or private — it shaped how he related to God, others, and the world.

You might:

- Begin gatherings or meetings with the Franciscan greeting: “May the Lord give you peace.”
- Reflect on your own life: Where is peace needed — in relationships, community tensions, inner struggles?
- Commit to an act of reconciliation: reaching out, forgiving, listening more deeply.
- Pray for peace in places of war, division, and suffering, locally and globally.

Embrace Simplicity and Gratitude

St Francis lived lightly, trusting in God and delighting in what was given rather than what was owned. The Year of St Francis invites a renewed simplicity that frees the heart.

You might:

- Practice gratitude for ordinary gifts: meals, relationships, creation.
- Make a small commitment to simpler living — reducing waste, buying less, sharing more.
- Reflect on the question: What is really necessary for a joyful life?
- Support those in need through concrete acts of generosity

Care for Our Common Home

Francis saw all creation as family — brother sun, sister moon, mother earth. His vision speaks powerfully to a world facing ecological crisis.

You might:

- Spend intentional time in nature, combining prayer with attentiveness to the natural world.
- Learn about environmental challenges in your local area and how to respond.
- Take practical steps: conserving energy, reducing plastic, supporting sustainable practices.
- Integrate care for creation into prayer, liturgy, and education.

Live Fraternity and Inclusion

Francis crossed boundaries — social, cultural, religious — and recognised every person as a sister or brother. The Year of St Francis is an invitation to renew bonds of human dignity and belonging.

You might:

- Welcome those who feel overlooked or excluded in your community.
- Encourage dialogue across differences.
- Support initiatives that uphold justice, dignity, and compassion.
- Foster a spirit of kindness and attentiveness in everyday encounters.

Deepen Prayer and Trust in God

Francis’s active life flowed from deep prayer. He trusted God even in weakness, illness, and uncertainty, finding joy not in success but in faithfulness.

You might:

- Pray with Franciscan texts, such as the Canticle of the Creatures or the Prayer before the Crucifix of San Damiano.
- Set aside quiet moments for prayer, especially in times of difficulty.
- Reflect on how faith can illuminate ordinary life, including moments of suffering.
- Join communal prayer or liturgical celebrations marking key moments of the jubilee year.

Remember, Celebrate, and Hope

The Year of St Francis is not a nostalgic look backward, but a hopeful step forward. Remembering Francis’s death — his passing into new life — invites trust in God even in times of change and uncertainty.

You might:

- Mark significant Franciscan feast days with prayer or reflection.
- Share stories of hope, conversion, and compassion inspired by St Francis.
- Encourage younger generations to see faith as joyful, credible, and meaningful today.
- Ask: What might God be calling us to renew in our lives right now?