On October 4, 2025, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, conducted a solemn celebration to announce, on behalf of the Ministers General of the Franciscan Family, the 800th Anniversary of the Easter of St. Francis. The announcement was made in the Lower Piazza of St. Francis, in Assisi, in the presence of public officials, friars, other religious, and the faithful.
Friar Carlos stressed the importance of this anniversary: “St. Francis welcomed death as a sister. He experienced it as a final act of faith and love. His death reminds us that every human existence has an eternal meaning.” He also invited everyone—”the sons and daughters of St. Francis, all people of good will, Christian and civil communities, young and old, healthy and sick”—to actively participate in the eighth centenary celebrations.
This 800th anniversary will be an occasion for prayer, discussion, and reflection. From February 22 to March 22, 2026, for the first time in public, the body of St. Francis will be displayed for the veneration of the faithful, providing a precious opportunity to get closer to this extraordinary person who, after 800 years, still speaks to the hearts of so many of us. During the 800th anniversary, the Franciscan community will offer activities open to all friends, devotees, sons, and daughters of Francis of Assisi, with moments of prayer and encounter. All the information needed for you to participate is available on the official website at: www.sanfrancescovive.org.
The 800th anniversary is intended to convey a powerful message of life and hope to a world still plagued by conflicts and challenges. The official opening of the 800th anniversary celebrations will take place on January 10, 2026, in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels―the Porziuncola.
Here is the video of Friar Carlos TROVARELLI making the announcement:
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