Franciscans to mark 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's death

The Franciscan family is celebrating the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, marking a jubilee year that began on January 10, 2026, and will conclude on January 10, 2027.

In Málaga, the Orden Franciscana Seglar organized several commemorative events at the Church of Santo Cristo de la Salud. These observances included a vigil on Saturday, October 3, and a solemn Mass on Sunday, October 4, at 13:00. The Mass was presided over by Francisco Pérez, the archbishop emeritus of Pamplona.

The anniversary commemorates the transit of St. Francis, who requested to be moved to La Porciúncula, the site where he founded his order, shortly before his death on October 3. According to tradition, the saint welcomed death as his sister and added a verse to his Cantico de las Criaturas to reflect this moment.