As the 800th anniversary of his death is marked on October 4, 2026, Franz von Assisi continues to captivate millions, with over five million pilgrims visiting Assisi this year alone. Born Giovanni di Bernardone in 1181 or 1182 as the son of a wealthy textile merchant, Franz shifted from his early life of privilege and military service in Perugia to a life of radical poverty, eventually founding the Franciscan order.
From Merchant’s Son to Mendicant Preacher
Franz’s life marked a sharp break with the emerging early capitalism and societal conventions of the 13th century. While Franz sharply criticized the early capitalist patterns of his parents’ household for prioritizing self-interest over charity, he forged a strange alliance with medieval church structures, finding protection under a papacy that represented considerable wealth and power. In Assisi, political power struggles had erupted into a war between emerging bourgeois classes and the established nobility.
The Legacy of a Radical Icon
Scholars and filmmakers continue to examine the historical figure during his 2026 anniversary year, including German Protestant theologian Volker Leppin, author of Franz von Assisi – Ein unbequemer Heiliger,
and philosopher Markus Hofer, author of Franz von Assisi. Ein radikales Leben neu erzählt.
Though Pope John Paul II named him the patron saint of ecology in 1979, researchers note he was not a modern nature enthusiast, but rather viewed creation as part of God’s shared family. Today, figures like filmmaker Stefan Ludwig trace his journeys from Paris—where a newly discovered manuscript is displayed—to the rock clefts of La Verna, while Franciscan monks continue building bridges between Christianity and Islam.
A Complex Legacy and Modern Relevance
In July 1228, Pope Gregory IX laid the foundation stone for the Basilica San Francesco in Assisi, where the saint is buried in the lower church. During the Fifth Crusade, Franz met with the Muslim Sultan Al-Kamil. In his Sun Canticle,
Franz thanked God for the siblings
sun, moon, stars, wind and weather, water, fire, Mother Earth,
and bodily death.
The Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio, serving as the Roman Catholic head from 2013 to 2025, became the first pope to choose Francis as his papal name.
