Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land marks 800 years since St. Francis' death

The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America held a Transitus procession on Oct. 3 to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.

The procession included friars, priests, nuns, and laypeople who walked a mile and a half from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception through the Brookland neighborhood to the monastery in northwest Washington. Franciscan friars led the group carrying the San Damiano cross and a wooden funeral bier holding an empty brown Franciscan habit and white cord cincture. The procession concluded with the habit and cincture being placed in front of the altar in the monastery church.

The Transitus is an annual commemoration held each Oct. 3 to honor the journey of St. Francis from life to death.