800 Year Jubilee of St Francis of Assisi

by Kati Dijane · April 14, 2026

By Kati Dijane – As the Church marks 800 years since the passing of Saint Francis of Assisi, this Jubilee year invites Catholics worldwide to reflect on his life, his witness and his message. While the commemoration is global, this moment also calls the Church in Southern Africa to pause, reflect and respond to the challenges of today with renewed faith and hope in the intercession of St Francis of Assisi.

His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, proclaimed that the special Jubilee Year of Saint Francis will take place from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027, to remember the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Speaking on the significance of this Jubilee, Father Solomon Mphela OFM serving in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg highlights that this is not only a Franciscan celebration, but one for the whole Church and indeed for the world. “We are celebrating the life of someone who left a mark in this world,” he explains. “We are looking at what he has given us and how we can continue that mission today.”

A life that still speaks

St Francis was born into wealth, yet chose a radically different path. After his conversion, he gave up everything to follow Christ and serve the poor. His life was not only about personal holiness, but about transforming society, bridging the gap between rich and poor, and restoring dignity to those on the margins.

Father Mphela points out that St Francis made a bold and difficult choice. “He had everything he needed to succeed in the world, but he turned away from it,” he says. “He chose Christ, and that choice changed everything.”

This radical witness is what makes the Jubilee meaningful today. It is not simply about remembering a historical figure, but about rediscovering a way of life that challenges the values of the modern world.

What the Jubilee means for ordinary Catholics

For many, the idea of a Jubilee year can seem distant or unclear. However, Father Mphela explains that its meaning is deeply practical and personal.

At the heart of the Jubilee is conversion, a moment to turn back to God. One of the key elements is the opportunity to receive plenary indulgences, which he describes as a gift of grace. “It is about coming closer to God,” he says. “It is about letting go of what weighs on us, the things that draw us away from God and allowing Him to renew us.”

This requires a change of heart. Through confession, prayer and participation in the life of the Church, especially where the Friars serve, believers are invited to obtain these indulgences. The Jubilee is therefore not just a celebration, but a moment of spiritual renewal.

A message for Southern Africa

While the life of St Francis belongs to the universal Church, his message has a particular relevance for Southern Africa today.

The region faces many social challenges, including poverty, unemployment, inequality and crime. Father Mphela believes that the example of St Francis speaks directly to this reality.

“St Francis tried to build a bridge between the rich and the poor,” he explains. “And this is still our challenge today, the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer.”

The saint’s response was not political power or wealth, but simplicity, compassion and solidarity. He chose to walk with the poor, to understand them and to serve them. This is the same attitude that the Church is called to adopt today.

The role of education in transformation

One of the strongest themes emphasised by Father Mphela is the importance of education. Drawing from his role as Vicar for Education in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, he stresses that education is essential for both personal growth and social transformation.

“If you want to destroy a nation,” he says, “you don’t need an atomic bomb, just remove education.”

For him, education is not only about employment, but about understanding the world, thinking critically and becoming fully human. It helps people respond to challenges that include poverty, climate change and social injustice.

“Education transforms the mind and transforms the world,” he adds. “It takes you out of darkness and brings light.”

In the spirit of St Francis, education also becomes a tool for restoring dignity. It empowers individuals and communities, enabling them to build a better future.

A call to invest in the Future

Father Mphela also raises concern about the decline of Catholic schools, particularly in South Africa, where many institutions are closing due to financial pressures.

He encourages families and communities to invest in education, even when it is difficult. “It is not only about good results,” he says, “but about forming character, values and future leaders.”

Catholic education, he explains, plays a vital role in shaping not only knowledge, but also moral responsibility and faith. It is part of the Church’s mission to build a more just and compassionate society.

Care for creation

Another important aspect of St Francis’ legacy is his love for creation. Known as the patron saint of ecology, St Francis saw all of creation as a gift from God, referring to animals and nature as brothers and sisters.

Father Mphela reminds us that this vision is especially important today. Environmental challenges, such as deforestation and climate change, require a response rooted in both faith and knowledge.

“We are not superior to creation,” he says. “We are co-workers with it.”

This perspective calls for responsibility and care, reminding believers that protecting the environment is part of their Christian vocation. Laudato Si’, an encyclical of Pope Francis published in May 2015, is a part of a legacy established by Pope Francis, the only pontiff who chose the name of the saint. This encyclical led to the birth of a movement that focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans and the Earth.

Living the Jubilee today

The Jubilee celebrations are already underway, with programmes, talks and resources being shared across parishes and communities. These include educational initiatives, prayer materials and opportunities for deeper reflection on the life of St Francis.

Father Mphela emphasises that understanding St Francis is key to celebrating him. “You have to know his history, his journey and his conversion,” he says.

In Southern Africa, the Jubilee will also be marked through schools, parish activities, and Franciscan initiatives aimed at spreading his message.

A message of hope

At the end of the interview, Father Mphela acknowledges the difficulties people face, from rising cost of living, unemployment and global instability, but insists that hope must not be lost.

“Whatever is hitting us so hard, St Francis teaches us to have hope,” he says. “Let us cling to faith and support one another.”

This hope is not passive. It calls for action, helping one another, investing in education, caring for creation and rebuilding communities.

St Francis of Assisi Prayer by Pope Leo XIV

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago
went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.

You recognised true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano,
teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation
that breaks down every wall.

You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding,
give us the courage to build bridges
where the world raises boundaries.

In this time afflicted by conflict and division,
intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen