800th Anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi
Key Events and Celebrations in 2026
Jubilee Year of Saint Francis: Proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV, this special jubilee runs from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027. It follows the “Jubilee Year of Hope” and encourages the faithful to translate hope into action.
Public Display of Mortal Remains: For the first time in history, the body of Saint Francis will be displayed for public veneration in the Lower Basilica of Assisi from February 22 to March 22, 2026. Over 250,000 pilgrims have already registered for this event.
Plenary Indulgence: A decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who participate in pilgrimage to Franciscan churches, sacraments, and acts of charity during this jubilee year.
The Transitus (October 3): The primary focus of the 2026 celebrations is the Transitus—Francis’s transition from earthly life to eternal life on October 3, 1226.
Recent Centenary Milestones (2023–2025)
The 800th anniversary of his death is the culmination of a multi-year cycle of “Franciscan Centenaries” that began in 2023:
2023: 800 years since the approval of the Later Rule and the first Nativity scene at Greccio.
2024: 800 years since Saint Francis received the Stigmata at La Verna.
2025: 800 years since the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures, his famous hymn of praise for creation.
A Seed of Eternal Life: Ministers General Issue Letter to Open 8th Centenary of the Transitus of St. Francis
On January 10, 2026, the 8th Centenary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi (1226–2026), was officially opened. The ceremony took place In Assisi, at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which houses the Porziuncola. Afterwards, the Ministers General of the Franciscan Family released a joint letter entitled “A Seed of Eternal Life.”The letter is addressed to the entire Franciscan Family and the People of God. It invites everyone to rediscover what St. Francis has handed down to us and to recognize it as our living and shared responsibility to live out today.
The letter is signed by the Ministers General of the Order of Friars Minor; Friars Minor Conventual; Friars Minor Capuchin; the Third Order Regular; the Secular Franciscan Order; and by the President of the International Franciscan Conference of the Third Order Regular. It offers a detailed and concrete reflection on the Franciscan charism eight hundred years after Francis’ death. Using his Testament as its guiding text, the letter identifies three great legacies that the saint leaves to the Church and to the world: mercy arising from the encounter with the poor and with the crucified Christ; faithful love for the Church, recognized as a “poor but fruitful land,” and for the Eucharist as the heart of the Christian mystery; and, finally, fraternal life lived as a Gospel form of life capable of generating peace.
Particular emphasis is placed on fraternity as an alternative to every power-based approach. The Franciscan Order is not meant to be a pyramidal [hierarchical] structure, but a “circular” fraternity in which everyone is a lesser one, called to serve and care for one another. From this way of living arises the call to peace, expressed in Francis’ greeting, “May the Lord give you peace,” which he embraced as a guide for life and evangelization, then and now.
The Centenary is thus presented not as a simple commemoration, but as a time of renewal and personal and communal responsibility. The seed planted by Francis continues to sprout and cries out to be protected through acts of mercy, faithfulness to the Church, and fostering reconciled relationships.
This letter, issued for the launch of the centenary year, is intended to revive the power of the Gospel lived by Francis, pilgrim and brother to all. Moreover, it invites us to recognize it as a tool of discernment and of shared journey for the entire Franciscan Family.
Reading the full text of the letter, A Seed of Eternal Life, will allow us to deepen our understanding of the path opened by the 8th Centenary and to receive its guidance for the life of the Franciscan Family today. The text can be downloaded, in PDF format in below link.
