Pope Francis to visit Assisi for important Franciscan
anniversary
(Vatican Radio) The
Franciscans and the Bishop of the Italian hill town of Assisi, Domenico
Sorrentino announced on Monday that Pope Francis will visit the Umbrian village
on Thursday August 4th. During the afternoon visit to the Porziuncola inside
the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, the Pope will officially mark the 8th
centenary of the event known as the “Pardon of Assisi.”
The papal trip to Assisi is
being described as a private pilgrimage to the tiny chapel which St Francis
built and where he founded the Franciscan order at the beginning of the 13th
century.
Over the centuries the simple
stone hut has been beautifully decorated by artists depicting events from the
life of the ‘poor man’ of Assisi, as St Francis is known here in Italy. The
frescos include scenes portraying the origins of the Pardon, or Indulgence,
which is celebrated at the beginning of August each year.
According to tradition, on
August 1st 1216, St Francis was praying inside the chapel when he had a vision
of Christ and Our Lady surrounded by a dazzling cloud of angels. As
Francis lay prostrate on the ground, he heard the Lord asking what he wanted
for the salvation of souls and he responded by asking God to grant an plenary
indulgence - the remission of the temporal punishment of all their sins - to
all pilgrims who visited the church.
The Lord granted his request
on condition that he gained approval from the pope of that period, Honorius
III. The following day Francis went to see the pope who approved of his
petition and since then the feast of the Pardon of Assisi has been celebrated
between Vespers on August 1st and sundown on the following day.
According to the President of
the Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the
Pope will pray inside the Porziuncola, highlighting the importance of this
800th anniversary and its significance during the Jubilee Year of Mercy being
celebrated by the Church throughout the world this year.
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