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Saint Francis of Assisi died on October 3, 1226. This is the 800th anniversary of his death.

In January, 2026, the Catholic Church just concluded its Great Jubilee year, a time of hope and renewal where pilgrimages where encouraged and where indulgences were granted. To everyone’s surprise, Pope Leo just announced another Jubilee Year, this one in honor of the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis.

From January 10, 2026 until January 10, 2027, the Holy Father grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who make a pilgrimage to a Franciscan church. I checked with the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to make sure that Saint John the Evangelist qualifies for the indulgence, and I was assured that Saint John’s is a qualified Franciscan pilgrimage church.

Here are the conditions to receive the indulgence:

• A pilgrimage visit to a Franciscan church (Saint John’s qualifies)

• A suitable time of prayer in the church

• Make a sacramental confession and receive Holy Communion

• Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father

• Recite the Our Father and the Creed

• A prayer of invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Francis, Saint Clare and all Franciscan saints

• And the person be free from attachment to sin. This means that the person truly wishes not to sin, even though the person still has temptations and weakness.

Francis was a dreamy boy who lived in the middle ages. Born to a rich merchant’s family, he fantasized about being famous. He imagined himself as a knight whose exploits would be sung about by troubadours who traveled throughout Europe entertaining townsfolk.

Francis did go to war and lasted only one day before he was captured and imprisoned for a year. The year in a dungeon almost killed him. When he recovered from his fever, he was depressed. Now a grown man, he came to see his boyhood dreams as being silly and unattainable. But what was to be his future?

He began to pray for guidance. According to Francis’ own words written much later, his meeting with a diseased and suffering leper changed his life. He saw Christ in that wretched man and he desired with all his heart to follow Christ, poor and crucified.

From that time on, he devoted himself to the service of God without compromise. He lived as a poor and humble man, wandering from place to place, announcing God’s mercy and peace. A man of peace, he even went to the middle east during the time of the Crusades not to kill, but to make peace in the name of God.

Because he had faith in God’s limitless mercy, he convinced the Pope of his time to grant a plenary indulgence to those who visited the church of the Portiuncula in Assisi. This is really the beginning of the church opening the grace of indulgence to everyone.

Many men and women followed Francis, joining the religious Orders he founded. He also began a way of life for lay people; we are blessed to have an active Secular Franciscan fraternity at Saint John’s.

Both in the middle ages of Europe and throughout history and all over the world, Francis has inspired many people. He changed history. And his followers have had an impact for good in many places.

For the next year, Saint John’s is an indulgenced place of pilgrimage. I hope that we can find ways to welcome pilgrims and to invite people to learn about Saint Francis. Certainly our celebration of the Feast of Saint Francis in October will be an occasion of pilgrimage and devotion.