St. Francis of Assisi: 800 Years Young

September 1, 2026

The Franciscan jubilee reminds us that the Church’s most persuasive witness consists in lives transformed by the love of God

By Cardinal Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap.

September 1, 2026

St. Francis in the Desert (circa 1480), Giovanni Bellini (circa 1424/25-1516), oil on panel, The Frick Collection, New York

Editor’s Note: Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a Franciscan Jubilee Year from Jan. 10, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027, commemorating the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. The jubilee culminates in the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ Transitus (Oct. 3, 1226) and his feast day (Oct. 4).

We don’t know how much we should trust artificial intelligence, but I couldn’t resist asking it, “Who is the most popular saint in the history of the Catholic Church?” The answer I received was that, by far, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the most popular, followed by St. Francis of Assisi, with St. Joseph in third place. St. Francis’ appeal is almost universal. His radical living out of the Gospel, his love for Christ and his joyful nature have touched people throughout the world. During Francis’ lifetime, more than 5,000 men joined his First Order as friars, and after his death millions of men and women joined the three orders he founded. As the Church celebrates the 800th anniversary of his death, we must ask ourselves: What is it about St. Francis that has garnered such attention and generated so much emotion?

All three synoptic Gospels recount the story of the rich young man who approaches Jesus with his questions: What do I have to do to be saved? What can give purpose to my life? Jesus told him, “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mk 10:21). All three Gospels report that the young man went away sad because his possessions were many. Only Mark’s Gospel, however, states that Jesus looked at the man with love.

It is my conviction that if that young man had even suspected how much the Lord loved him, he would gladly have sold his possessions and distributed his wealth to the poor. When we realize that God loves us unconditionally with such gratuitous love, we experience the liberation that allows us to overcome the shackles of wealth, pleasure and power. We become truly free.

Over a thousand years later, another rich young man hears the same invitation of Jesus: “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, … and come, follow me.” Francis of Assisi did just that. He followed Jesus joyfully, illumining the path for thousands who followed.

THROUGH FRANCIS’ EYES

In the Fioretti of St. Francis, Brother Masseo questions him: “Why is the whole world running after you?” St. Francis answers that God could not find a greater sinner through whom to display his infinite mercy. The appeal of St. Francis remains undimmed eight centuries after his death. In the Gospels, the Greeks tell the apostles, “We wish to see Jesus” (Jn 12:21). In looking at Francis, people are able to catch a glimpse of Jesus — to see his love, his humility and his goodness.

The witness and holiness of the saints have always been the most powerful tools of evangelization. Various facets of Francis’ life make him appealing. Francis’ love of nature and regard for creation, his Gospel-based nonviolence, his call to be a universal brother and his commitment to serve the poor have made him captivating across religions and cultures. In a world so dangerously divided by war, racism and greed, St. Francis’ message of solidarity and peace is more important than ever.

Over a thousand years later, another rich young man hears the same invitation of Jesus: “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, … and come, follow me.” Francis of Assisi did just that.

On my desk is a statue of Francis that I cherish. The saint is wearing a ragged habit, and he is holding a bird in his right hand. Another bird is perched on his shoulder, looking at St. Francis’ face. Birds became very important to St. Francis. He loved the way they always sang God’s praises. They neither sow nor spin; they neither plant nor gather into barns but, like the lilies of the field, are a reminder that our heavenly Father takes care of us. St. Francis would have loved the African American spiritual “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” The song proclaims: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for his eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.”

I enjoyed reading David McCullough’s biography of the Wright brothers. As young men, they studied birds and became convinced that if birds could fly, so could human beings. That insight inspired them to build the first airplane. Like the Wright brothers, when St. Francis saw birds, he saw more than most people did. In birds, Francis saw God’s providence, beauty, joy and freedom. Francis had a sacramental vision of the world. He saw in a humble worm crushed on the road a symbol of Christ crucified in the words of the psalm: “I am a worm, not a man” (Ps 22:7). Everywhere Francis saw signs of God’s love hidden in plain sight.

THE SECRET OF JOY

St. Francis is the rich young man who discovers how much God loves him and then makes a gift of himself to God and to others. Francis’ conversion unfolded in three moments. First came his vision of Christ crucified, telling him to rebuild the Church; then came his embrace of the leper, in whom he discovered a neighbor, a brother and Christ in a distressing disguise. The third moment was the trial before the bishop, where Francis returned his rich clothing to his father. There Francis discovered, in the fatherhood of God, the foundation of his own spirituality: poverty — that is, trust in the Father’s providence — and freedom from attachment to wealth. In God’s fatherhood, Francis saw that we are all brothers and sisters, and he perceived his call to a universal bond that extends to all people and all creation. In that moment, Francis realized that God so loved the world that he sent us Jesus Christ to be our brother and our Savior.

Francis is defined by his loves, especially his love for Christ crucified. Franciscan devotions include the Christmas crèche, where Jesus is born in poverty, and the Cross, which St. Francis called his book, where we read the greatest love story in the world. Francis’ love for Christ and his Holy Mother is manifest in his love for the Church and in his deep devotion to the Eucharistic Lord. When Francis saw the spire of a church, he knelt, kissed the ground and prayed: “We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee, here and in all the churches in the whole world, because by thy holy cross thou hast redeemed the world.”

St. Francis, a deacon, loved priests and the sacraments, and he lived with unfailing obedience and devotion to the Holy Father, the successor of St. Peter. In Francis, we find so much joy and beauty to celebrate and imitate. We discover that lovingly following Christ is the true path to joy — the joy of the Gospel.

*****

CARDINAL SEÁN O’MALLEY, O.F.M. CAP., is the archbishop emeritus of Boston. Until 2025, he served for more than a decade as a member of the Council of Cardinals and as president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. A Capuchin Franciscan for more than 60 years, he has been a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1993.

Luis Segura Vilchis, an engineer and member of the Catholic Youth Association, faces a firing squad in Mexico City on Nov. 23, 1927.

St. Francis of Assisi: 800 Years Young

THROUGH FRANCIS’ EYES

THE SECRET OF JOY

Related Articles

Catholic History

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

Catholic History

Why Men Should Read Great Literature

Why Men Should Read Great Literature

Catholic History

‘True God From True God’

‘True God From True God’

Catholic History

Spiritual Lifeboats on the Titanic

Spiritual Lifeboats on the Titanic

Catholic History

A Family’s Heroic Witness of Love

A Family’s Heroic Witness of Love

Catholic History

A Hero Priest’s Return to Kansas

A Hero Priest’s Return to Kansas

Catholic History

The Knight Who Was Chesterton

The Knight Who Was Chesterton

Catholic History

Protector of the Afflicted

Protector of the Afflicted