São Francisco/800 anos: Santo de Assis «é uma figura muito plurifacetada, complexa, paradoxal e merece uma atenção muito especial»

In brief

Franciscan friar Hermínio Araújo says the Church needs to study the original writings of Saint Francis of Assisi more deeply as celebrations begin for the 800th anniversary of his death. Speaking in Lisbon on September 11, 2026, Araújo described the saint as a complex, multifaceted, and paradoxical figure who requires special attention.

Araújo noted that people should not assume they already fully understand the saint. He highlighted the theological genius and the radical way Francis lived the Gospel.