For several years now, the Franciscan Family has been celebrating a jubilee period. We have already commemorated the 800th anniversary of the Rule, the Nativity Scene at Greccio, the Stigmata, and the Canticle of the Creatures. It has been a period of learning, assimilation, reflection, and meditation on these important events, leading us to a deeper understanding of many aspects of our Franciscan life.
However, 2026 will be a very special year for us: it marks 800 years since the Holy Transitus of St. Francis, the culmination of his earthly life and his birth into heaven. We know that the death of a person has the power to bring their entire life before us. And that is what we want to do in remembering Francis’ Transitus, recapturing the “poor man of Assisi”: his calling, his radicalism, his love for Christ, the Church, lepers, his vocation as a friar minor, his desire for poverty, his missionary zeal.
The Church has surprised us in recent days by announcing a “Jubilee Year of St. Francis,” from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, as a beautiful continuation of the Ordinary Holy Year. It therefore offers us the opportunity for all our Capuchin churches to become jubilee churches and places of pilgrimage, where the grace of a plenary indulgence can be received. Furthermore, this grace is also granted to other churches that are dedicated to St. Francis or connected to him for any reason, obviously including all the churches of the friars, the Poor Clares, the Franciscan Sisters, etc.
Pope Leo XIV, in his letter To the General Ministers (January 10, 2026), strongly emphasizes the connection between the charism of St. Francis and the promotion of peace. His desire is that this “Year of Grace” may truly help us to promote a universal reconciliation that generates “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation.” In this sense, he offers us a precious prayer that would be excellent to share and use throughout this jubilee.
It will be very important to prepare our Capuchin churches to welcome pilgrims who wish to receive the grace of this Holy Year. It would be wonderful to creatively prepare a special place in our churches for the veneration of St. Francis and the memory of his blessed Transitus; to offer the faithful opportunities to participate with us in liturgies or para-liturgies that help us meditate on important aspects of the Saint’s life; to make available to the faithful the writings of St. Francis, especially his prayers and biographies; to offer greater opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Furthermore, we Capuchins cannot forget that we are preparing to celebrate the 500th anniversary of our Reform. In fact, the project proposed by the General Curia invites us to live this year 2026, following the example of the first Capuchins, as a special time to “return to Francis,” especially by taking more to heart his Testament, which also celebrates its 800th anniversary this year.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us be careful to take full advantage of this special “Year of St. Francis,” without wasting the many opportunities for grace that are given to us. Let us allow our hearts to be inflamed with seraphic ardor so that we may be renewed in our own vocation.