Pope Francis to visit Assisi

The Porziuncola

On Friday 4 October, the feast of St Francis, Pope Francis will spend the day in Assisi, where the saint was born was born. On his arrival by helicopter at the sports field of the Seraphic Institute of Assisi, he will meet with disabled and sick children.

From there he will make a private visit to the Shrine of St Damiano to pray, before proceeding to the archbishop's residence, where he will meet with people assisted by Caritas. He will then be driven to the Superior Basilica of St Francis where he will be received by the friars and pray in the crypt where the saint is buried.

At 11am he will celebrate Holy Mass in Piazza San Francesco. Following the Eucharist he will proceed to the Caritas reception centre near the railway station of Santa Maria degli Angeli where he will have lunch with the poor from the city centre. After lunch he will make a private visit to the Hermitage of the Prisons, where he will pray in St Francis' cell. In afternoon he will meet with clergy, consecrated persons and members of the diocesan pastoral council in the cathedral of St Rufino. From there he will transfer to the Basilica of St Clare to venerate the body of the saint and pray in silence before the cross of St Damian. He will subsequently proceed to the Porziuncola in Santa Maria degli Angeli and at 5.45pm will meet with young people on the terrace in front of the basilica. At 6.30 he will transfer to Rivotorto where he will pray privately in St Francis' cell and later, after greeting the authorities who received him in the morning, will begin his return trip to the Vatican by helicopter.

Source: VIS