Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, highlighting the saint’s enduring message of peace, holiness, and care for creation.
In a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary and announced by the Franciscan Friars, the Vatican declared a Year of St Francis that runs from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027.
During the jubilee, Catholics may receive plenary indulgences under the usual conditions, including through pilgrimages to “any Franciscan conventual church, or place of worship in any part of the world named after St. Francis or connected to him for any reason,” the decree stated.
The sick, elderly and caretakers unable to leave their homes can also obtain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions “if they join spiritually in the Jubilee celebrations of the Year of St. Francis, offering their prayers to the Merciful God, the pains or sufferings of one’s life.”
In a letter marking the opening of the jubilee in Assisi, Pope Leo said St Francis’ witness was needed “now more than ever” in a world marked by war, division, and environmental harm.
“Peace with God, peace among human beings, and with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation,” he added.
A statement from the Franciscan Friars invited Catholics to take part in the Jubilee celebrations and hope that St Francis’ example would inspire participants “to live with authentic Christian charity towards our neighbour and with sincere longings for concord and peace among peoples.”
A celebration at the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels in Assisi on 10 January marked the start of the Franciscan Jubilee Year.
Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi, who was present at the ceremony, said the start of the centenary celebration was “an explosion of true joy” that comes from the heart and “from the commitment of each one of us to rediscover Francis in all his dimensions.”
Among the notable events taking place in Assisi during the Franciscan Jubilee Year will be the first public display of St Francis’ body, an event that is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world.