Celebrating the Eighth Centenary of the Transitus of St Francis (1226 - 2026)
800 years ago on 3 October 1226, St Francis of Assisi embraced Sister Death and passed to eternal life. The founder of the Franciscan Order spent his life caring for the poor and promoting peace during a turbulent time, all while accompanied by his Franciscan brothers, sisters and friends.
Over the past three years, St Mary’s, as a Franciscan parish, has from Dec 2023, celebrated and commemorated the “Franciscan Centenaries”, which mark the significant milestones in the life of St Francis of Assisi and the Order:
Christmas in Greccio (1223-2023) & the drafting of the Regula Bullata, (The Later Rule of St Francis) (1223);
The gift of the Stigmata (1224-2024);
The composition of The Canticle of the Creatures (1225-2025).
This year, we commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St Francis, and we join Pope Leo XIV in his hope that St Francis’ message of peace will find “a profound echo in the Church and society today.”
Declaration of the Jubilee Year of St Francis of Assisi
At the behest of Pope Leo XIV, the Apostolic Penitentiary has decreed a Jubilee Year of St Francis to be celebrated from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027. Immediately following the Jubilee Year of Hope, the Jubilee Year of St Francis invites all pilgrims to transform their hope into action, following the example of St Francis to become models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.
Plenary indulgence
A plenary indulgence will be granted to all faithful who make a pilgrimage to any Franciscan church (which includes St Mary of the Angels) or place of worship dedicated to St Francis in any part of the world and complete the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions), concluding with the Our Father, the Creed and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Francis of Assisi, St Clare and all the saints of the Franciscan Family.
If you are unable to undertake a pilgrimage, the plenary indulgence will be granted to you if you spiritually join the Jubilee celebrations and offer your prayers, pains or sufferings to God.
Franciscan Jubilee Programme Overview
Ongoing/Upcoming Happenings
Lent at St Mary’s
18 Feb - 5 Apr
Join us in our Wednesday Lenten formation sessions based on the theme “Priest, Prophet & King” as we learn about our identity as Christians.
Journey with the Lord in our Stations of the Cross on Fridays focusing on selected Franciscan-related themes.
Learn more at stmary.sg/lent.
Prayer to St Francis by Pope Leo XIV
You can pick up a prayer card near the side entrances (in the main church) under the notice boards.
St Francis and the Wolf - A story of peace and reconciliation
The statue of St Francis and the wolf sits at the right side of St Mary’s Garden of Peace. It depicts a popular Franciscan legend that happened in Gubbio, a small town in Italy:
A ferocious wolf had been terrorising the people and preying on livestock in Gubbio. They tried to fight the wolf but they were unsuccessful. Desperate, they asked St Francis to help. St Francis courageously went out to meet the wolf, making the sign of the cross and commanding it to stop terrorising the townsfolk. The wolf miraculously obeyed St Francis. St Francis made a pact with the wolf, with the wolf promising not to harm the people of Gubbio in exchange for food daily. Since then, it lived peacefully among the people for two years before it died of old age.
May we, like St Francis, help bring about the same peace and reconciliation in this troubled world today. This peace, harmony and reconciliation is not only meant to exist between God and humans, but also between God and the whole family of creation! We, too, can be instruments of peace.
St Anthony and the Fish
St Anthony of Padua, who is better known as the patron saint for lost and stolen articles, was also a gifted Franciscan preacher and teacher. His zeal, simplicity and knowledge in his preaching touched many who listened to him. He is the patron saint of our Custody here in Singapore and Malaysia. Situated on the left side of the Garden of Peace, at the entrance of St Anthony Friary, is the statue of the St Anthony preaching to the Fish, as the story goes:
St Anthony came to the city of Rimini in Italy to preach, but was met with rejection as the people refused to listen. Rather than giving up, he turned to prayer and preached to the fish instead. In a miraculous moment, thousands of fish gathered as if listening intently to his words. When the people saw this, their hearts were stirred. They came to hear St Anthony preach, were deeply moved by his call to conversion, and many abandoned their hardened ways to return to the Church.
Like St Anthony, may we be faithful and persevere in our efforts to lead more people to Christ.
Resources & Links
Letter of the Holy Father to the General Ministers of the Conference of the Franciscan Family (Including the Prayer by Pope Leo to St Francis)
Francis of Assisi: A SEED FOR ETERNAL LIFE: The Spiritual Legacy of a Christian Man
(Letter from the Franciscan Family on the Occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the Transit of St Francis)
Video: Why Pope Leo’s Special Jubilee Year Honors St. Francis of Assisi
The Jubilee revives the historic “Pardon of Assisi,” offering the opportunity for a plenary indulgence. The year will include major events in Assisi, including the first extended public veneration of St. Francis’ mortal remains. Church leaders say the Jubilee highlights St. Francis’ enduring message of mercy, peace, and harmony in a world marked by division and uncertainty.
The Franciscans in Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei
Custody of St Anthony - Franciscans in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei
Blessed Gabriela Allegra, OFM
Co-patron of the Custody of St Anthony