On March 14, 2026, the “Capuchin Pilgrimage” was held in the city of Assisi on the occasion of the public display of the relics of St. Francis, marking the 800th anniversary of his death. The event was attended by about a hundred friars, who came as representatives of the Capuchins scattered throughout the world. Among those present were members of the General Curia, of houses under the jurisdiction of the General Minister, of the International College of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, of the Province of Central Italy, and of other fraternities. The purpose of the pilgrimage was to venerate the saint’s remains, which were temporarily on display, and to celebrate the Eucharist in communion.
The event began at 9 a.m. in front of the Basilica of Saint Clare. The choice of the pilgrimage’s starting point was no accident: the Church of Saint George once stood there in the 13th century, the first place where Saint Francis was buried from 1226 to 1230, before being transferred to the Hill of Paradise in the basilica built in his name, where he rests to this day.
The gathering began with an articulation of the pilgrimage’s purpose: not merely to visit to some “dry bones,” but to experience a living encounter with the evangelical life of Francis of Assisi, with his following of Christ and his holiness. His intercession was also invoked to “reawaken in us the desire to be friars, minors, and contemplatives.”
After an opening ceremony led by the General Minister Br. Roberto Genuin, the friars set out on their way to the Basilica of St. Francis. The procession took place in an air of prayer and brotherhood, accompanied by the recitation of the Holy Rosary: the sight of the friars walking in prayer prompted passersby and pilgrims passed along the way to observe a respectful silence! Upon reaching the Lower Basilica, the participants recited the Litany in Honor of St. Francis and then concluded with a hymn. Subsequently, the friars had the precious opportunity to venerate the remains of the Poverello, displayed directly in front of the main altar of the Lower Basilica.
At 11:00 a.m., the Eucharist was celebrated by the General Minister, following a welcome address by the custos of the Sacro Convento, Br. Marco Moroni, OFMConv. During his homily, Br. Roberto, addressed the friars and a large group of pilgrims by offering a meditation on the theme of human frailty and the acceptance of God’s love. His talk linked the Gospel experience of returning to the Lord with the luminous witness of St. Francis. He then concluded by asking the Poverello to help us abandon our “self-absorption” in order to overcome what hinders our encounter with God. This “true death to ourselves” opens the way to an inexhaustible life which, as St. Francis testified eight centuries ago, translates into openness to God and to our brothers and sisters.
This pilgrimage is interwoven with the journey we Capuchins are undertaking as we approach the 500th anniversary of our Reform. We recall that it was precisely in the years leading up to the celebrations for the third centenary of the death of St. Francis that some friars chose to reform Franciscan life, giving rise to our Capuchin family. Therefore, the current year is a time of special grace which should not be passed in vain: let us reclaim the values that Francis lived out and proposed to us, so that they may better “enlighten our minds and inflame our hearts.” We remain always on a constant journey: let us model our steps on the Gospel according to the example and manner that Francis has left us as his legacy.
