Transitus
Q: Who is Saint Francis of Assisi?
A: Saint Francis of Assisi is best known as the patron saint of animals and ecology. A 13th-century Italian friar, he famously renounced his family's wealth to live a life of radical poverty, founded the Franciscan religious orders, and was the first recorded person to receive the stigmata.
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Q: What is the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi?
A: The Transitus is a solemn, joyous annual service observed by Franciscans and laity worldwide on the evening of October 3 to commemorate the death/passing of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226. St. Francis of Assisi welcomed Sister Death as a companion. "Transitus" is Latin for "passage" or "crossing over," signifying his transition from earthly life to eternal life with God.
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Q: What is the Franciscan Jubilee Year?
A: The Archdiocese of Chicago will join Catholics around the world in celebrating a Franciscan Jubilee year, observed from Jan. 10, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027, marking the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis of Assisi, a Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Pope Leo XIV proclaimed the special Jubilee year inviting the faithful to reflect on the life and enduring legacy of St. Francis whose profound commitment to the gospel, love for the poor and reverence for all of creation continues to inspire Christians eight centuries later.
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Q: What is the Portiuncula?
A: The term Portiuncula (Italian: Porziuncola), which means "little portion" is a tiny, historic chapel located in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, Italy. It is the most sacred site in the Franciscan order. St. Francis rebuilt the Portiuncula, little church with his own hands.
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Q: Who is Sister Death?
A: St. Francis of Assisi referred to death as "Sister Death," because Francis expressed radical trust that bodily death was simply the final step in surrendering to God's loving design. He famously noted that the only death a person truly needs to fear is the "second death"—which is the state of eternal separation from God for those who die in mortal sin. He felt Sister Death was his companion in the journey from this life to the next to live eternity with Jesus.
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Q: What is a Franciscan Secular?
A: A Secular Franciscan is a Catholic lay man or woman—or secular cleric—who strives to live the Gospel in the world, following the spiritual path of St. Francis of Assisi, without leaving their homes or jobs. They are official members of the Secular Franciscan Order (formerly the Third Order of St. Francis)
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Q: What is a 3rd Class Relic?
A: A first-class relic is part of a saint's body (e.g., bone, blood, flesh). Second class relics are possessions that a saint owned such as clothing or something used by a saint. Third class relics are objects that have been touched to a first, second, or another third-class relic of a saint.
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- Website: https://queenofpeaceparish.org/news/embracing-the-spiritual-power-of-third-class-relics-in-the-catholic-church
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AMBD4_NMWC4
Q: What is a Plenary Indulgence?
A: Even though confessed and forgiven sins will not send a person to hell, consequences remain to be paid on earth or in purgatory. An indulgence frees the recipient from those consequences. Reception of an indulgence always springs from sincere repentance, the desire to live a holy life, reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion as soon as possible and prayer for the Holy Father. An indulgence cannot be bought, nor can one be obtained by going through the motions without sincerity. A plenary indulgence is special as it removes all the punishment for sins.
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