The Vatican has announced a special Jubilee Year dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, marking the eight hundredth anniversary of his death. Issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary on January 16, 2026, the decree establishes a Year of Saint Francis from January 10, 2026, through January 10, 2027, offering the faithful a renewed opportunity for sanctification through prayer, pilgrimage, and works of mercy, accompanied by the gift of plenary indulgences.

This special Jubilee follows closely upon the conclusion of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, which called Catholics to become pilgrims of hope rooted in Christ. Rather than standing apart, the Year of Saint Francis is presented as a spiritual continuation of that call, inviting the Church to allow hope to mature into active charity. The anniversary commemorates Saint Francis’s passage from earthly life to his heavenly homeland on October 3, 1226, an event that crowned a life conformed ever more closely to Christ crucified.

In recent years, the Church has already reflected deeply on key moments in Franciscan history, including the eight hundredth anniversaries of the Nativity scene at Greccio, the composition of the Canticle of the Creatures, and the reception of the Stigmata on Mount La Verna. The year 2026 brings these commemorations to their fulfillment, presenting Saint Francis not as a distant historical figure, but as a model of evangelical holiness urgently needed in the modern world.

The decree recalls that Francis lived in an age marked by conflict, moral confusion, and distorted religious zeal. His response was not withdrawal or bitterness, but radical conversion, humility, and joyful obedience to the Gospel. As the son of a wealthy merchant who freely embraced poverty, he became a living image of Christ, demonstrating that authentic Christian renewal begins with repentance, mercy, and love of neighbor. The Church proposes that the challenges of the present age are not unlike those Francis faced, making his witness particularly relevant for today.

Central to the Jubilee Year is the Franciscan understanding of mercy, rooted in forgiveness and reconciliation. The decree highlights the spiritual heritage of the Pardon of Assisi, the indulgence associated with the Portiuncula, granted to Francis by Pope Honorius III. This emphasis underscores the Church’s enduring mission to open wide the treasury of grace to all who sincerely seek conversion of heart.

During the Year of Saint Francis, plenary indulgences are made available under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father. These indulgences may be obtained by members of the Franciscan family and by all the faithful who, detached from sin, participate in the Jubilee through pilgrimage to Franciscan churches or places associated with the saint, or by devout prayer and meditation. The indulgence may also be applied for the souls in Purgatory.

The decree makes special provision for the elderly, the sick, and those unable to travel, who may obtain the indulgence by uniting themselves spiritually to the Jubilee and offering their sufferings to God. Priests are urged to make themselves readily available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, ensuring that the faithful can fully receive the spiritual fruits offered during this holy year.

Through this Jubilee, the Church invites Catholics to rediscover Saint Francis not merely as a symbol of peace, but as a teacher of holiness, charity, and fidelity to Christ, calling the faithful to live the Gospel with renewed zeal in the world today.