On April 11-14, 2024, more than 1,500 young people gathered in Florence, Italy, to participate in Francis Live, an event organized by Franciscan religious, the Secular Franciscans (OFS), Franciscan Youth (YouFra), and many friends, to commemorate the 800th anniversary (1224-2024) of St. Francis receiving the stigmata at La Verna.
What can the Franciscan experience mean to today’s youth? What witness can the friars, sisters and Secular Franciscans offer today’s world? What can Francis of Assisi say to young people today? These are just some of the questions that brought Franciscan friars, sisters and young people from all over Italy to Florence for four days of meetings, formation, reflections, workshops, prayer, celebration and listening to St. Francis of Assisi eight hundred years after the key events of his life.
Some Conventual Franciscan friars also participated as members of two youth and vocation ministry teams from the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy) and the Italian Province of St. Francis of Assisi (Central Italy).
Around two hundred and twenty young people from local Franciscan groups also came to Florence to participate in the Francis Live program, which included some activities specially organized by the Conventual Franciscans.
The most significant experiences were the morning plenary assemblies. They were rich in formative insights and featured outstanding guests. The assemblies were held in the Conventual Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce. Giovanni SCIFONI performed “Fra,’“ a rereading of Francis’ life that offered new and unexpected interpretations. In the afternoon, workshops were conducted in various places around Florence to help young people heal their own wounds. The workshops began with a reflection by Father Bernardo GIANNI, Abbot of San Miniato al Monte.
One workshop, conducted by the Conventual Franciscans, was particularly noteworthy. It used the splendid artworks in the Basilica of Santa Croce as a setting for the reflection. Finally, on Saturday evening, a prayer vigil was held in the basilica, to relive St. Francis’ experience at La Verna. The Francis Live program featured plenty of celebration, sharing and fraternity, which gave the event a joyful and youthful spirit.
We would like to first of all thank the Lord for His bountiful grace, for the joy of young people, for the freshness of Francis’ evangelical experience, and for the beauty of sharing the life of faith.
Special thanks to the Santa Croce community, and to its Guardian, Friar Giancarlo CORSINI in particular, for their unrivaled hospitality and for the thousand little things they did to make this event beautiful and enjoyable.
The meeting of different Provinces, various Orders, OFS, YouFra, and many Franciscan groups, is something that warms every heart. May the Father allow us to continue on this road of encounter, fraternity and shared joy in Him.
The Youth and Vocational Ministry Teams of the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy) and the Italian Province of St. Francis of Assisi (Central Italy)
Photos: Samuele CASTELLAN
