Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a Year of Saint Francis, beginning January 10, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint's death in 2026. The commemorative year started with six Franciscan leaders gathering in Assisi and issuing a joint letter titled “Francis of Assisi: A Seed for Eternal Life.” Pope Leo XIV expressed hope that St. Francis's message of peace will resonate deeply within the Church and society. The Pope encouraged the faithful to follow St. Francis's example of faith, hope, and charity, emphasizing trust in the Lord and living according to the Gospel. Previous papal commemorations of St. Francis include Pope Leo XIII's encyclical in 1882 and Pope St. Pius X's letter in 1909.
20 days ago
Pope Leo XIV proclaimed 2026 the Year of Saint Francis, marking the 800th anniversary of the saint's death.1
The year began on January 10 with a gathering of six Franciscan leaders in Assisi, who issued a joint letter titled "Francis of Assisi: A Seed for Eternal Life."1
Pope Leo XIV wrote a letter expressing hope that St. Francis's message of peace echoes in the Church and society.1
Multiple popes from Leo XIII to Pius XI, all Franciscan tertiaries, issued encyclicals and letters commemorating Franciscan anniversaries.1
All popes from 1846 to 1963 were Franciscan tertiaries; St. John XXIII visited Assisi in 1962.1
Recent popes, including St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, made frequent pilgrimages to Assisi and sites like La Verna.1
Pope Leo XIV's first apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, includes a section on St. Francis.1
The Apostolic Penitentiary's decree grants a plenary indulgence under usual conditions for pilgrimages to Franciscan churches or sites linked to St. Francis worldwide.1
Pilgrims must participate in Jubilee rites, meditate piously, and pray the Our Father, Creed, and invocations to Mary, St. Francis, St. Clare, and Franciscan saints.1
The indulgence applies to the elderly, sick, caregivers, and homebound under specific conditions.1
U.S. sites include the National Shrine of St. Francis in San Francisco and shrines in Washington, DC, Libertyville, Ill., Cincinnati, and Ellicott City, Md.1
Franciscans urge learning the real St. Francis beyond animal imagery, focusing on his love for Christ, humility, poverty, and joy.1
Recommendations include daily acts like reconciliation, simplicity, ecological care, service to the marginalized, and attending Transitus services.1
Other suggestions: pray the Franciscan Crown Rosary, study Franciscan saints weekly, wear St. Francis medals, tour Franciscan churches, and join virtual summits or conferences.1
Early sources like Omnibus of Sources and Francis of Assisi: Early Documents are top picks.1
G.K. Chesterton's Saint Francis of Assisi and Little Flowers of St. Francis are frequently recommended.1
Films include The Flowers of St. Francis (1950) and Francis and Clare; websites like FranciscanTradition.org and Franciscan Federation.1
Modern biographies by Augustine Thompson, Michael Cusato, and Omer Engelbert; podcasts, videos, and Vatican News articles.1
Franciscans cite St. Francis's passion for Christ, simplicity, fraternity, care for creation and poor, and radical Gospel living as inspirations.1
Personal stories highlight encounters with friars, visits to Assisi, devotion to Eucharist and Mary, and calls like "rebuild my church."1
They emphasize his role as social innovator promoting equality, humility, and a "fraternal economy" against greed.1
Pope Leo XIV declares a Year of Saint Francis for 2026
Pope Leo XIV has actively highlighted the approaching eighth centenary of St. Francis of Assisi's death in October 2026, joining commemorative efforts through papal letters and addresses, but the provided Catholic sources do not indicate a formal declaration of a "Year of Saint Francis" akin to a Jubilee or dedicated thematic year. Instead, these documents emphasize spiritual participation in ongoing events organized by the Franciscan Family, framing the anniversary as an opportunity for reflection on Francis's legacy of peace, poverty, conversion, and fraternity. This nuanced papal engagement aligns with historical precedents for Franciscan centenaries while underscoring contemporary relevance amid global challenges.
In a letter dated 10 January 2026 to the Ministers General of the Conference of the Franciscan Family, Pope Leo XIV explicitly references the anniversary, noting that "Eight centuries have passed since the death of the Poverello of Assisi" and expressing his desire to "join spiritually with the entire Franciscan Family and with all those who will take part in the commemorative events, hoping that the message of peace may find a profound echo in the Church and society today." This marks the formal opening of centenary observances, evoking St. Francis's final words—"Our Sister Death"—as a peaceful embrace of mortality. Similarly, in his 9 January 2026 address to the Diplomatic Corps, the Pope anticipates "This coming October will mark the eighth century of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, a man of peace and dialogue, universally recognized even by those who do not belong to the Catholic Church," linking it to building peace through "humble hearts turned towards the heavenly city."
These interventions position 2026 as a significant moment for the universal Church, but they focus on existing initiatives rather than instituting a new "Year." No source mentions indulgences, synodal processes, or liturgical changes typical of proclaimed jubilee years, such as those in Incarnationis Mysterium for the 2000 Jubilee. Pope Leo XIV's approach echoes his earlier remarks to Italian bishops on 20 November 2025 at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where he praised St. Francis's "synodal style" of fraternity and minority as a model for ecclesial discernment.
Centenaries of St. Francis have long inspired papal involvement without always being styled as a "Year." For instance, Pope Benedict XVI tied the eighth centenary of Francis's conversion (circa 1205-1206) to events in 2007, describing Francis as a "penitent" in "a permanent state of conversion" during the General Chapter of the Friars Minor Conventual. In 2006, Benedict XVI connected it to the 20th anniversary of the 1986 Assisi Interreligious Meeting for Peace, portraying Francis as embodying "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Mt 5:9) and stressing that his brotherhood stemmed from "Christ's radical decision." Earlier, Pope John Paul II invoked Francis during his 1978 visit to the Basilica of Saint Francis, urging joyful service as "servants of his people" and extending blessings tied to the saint's patronage.
Even older precedents, like Pope Benedict XV's 1921 Sacra Propediem for a Franciscan centenary, granted plenary indulgences and privileges for Third Order celebrations but framed them as favors "drawn from the treasury of the Holy Church" rather than a year-long declaration. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes similar traditions, such as the Porziuncola indulgence sought by Francis himself, which evolved without formal "year" proclamations. These patterns show popes amplifying Franciscan anniversaries through spiritual graces and exhortations, consistent with Leo XIV's 2026 focus.
Pope Leo XIV integrates St. Francis deeply into his magisterium, portraying him as an exemplar of poverty, mercy, and encounter. In the 4 October 2025 Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te on love for the poor—issued at the start of his pontificate—he hails Francis as "the icon of this spiritual springtime," whose "life was one of continuous self-emptying: from the palace to the leper, from eloquence to silence, from possession to total gift." Francis's relational poverty made him "neighbor, equal to, or indeed lesser than others," inspiring mendicant orders like those of Clare and Dominic to live as "beggars... pilgrims, humble and fraternal." This resonates with the 2026 World Day of the Sick message, invoking Francis's leper encounter: "The Lord himself led me among them," as a model for compassionate closeness.
Such references build on prior popes, like Benedict XVI's stress on Francis's penance and John Paul II's peace witness, while aligning with Leo XIV's vision of a Church as "sign and witness of the Kingdom of God."
The absence of a explicit "Year of Saint Francis" in these sources suggests the headline may overstate commemorative activities as a structured program. No plenary indulgences, obligatory events, or thematic emphases—like those for consecrated life under Pope Francis—are detailed. Instead, Leo XIV encourages participation in Franciscan-led events, fostering peace and poverty amid secularization. This measured approach avoids diluting the saint's charism, prioritizing depth over designation.
In summary, while Pope Leo XIV robustly promotes the 2026 eighth centenary through letters, addresses, and exhortations—drawing on Francis's conversion, poverty, and peace—the sources confirm commemoration, not a declared "Year." This invites the faithful to engage Francis's witness personally, echoing his call to gospel fraternity in today's world.