Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a special Franciscan Jubilee Year running from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, marking 800 years since the death of St. Francis of Assisi. For Catholics who cannot travel to Assisi, Aleteia has compiled a list of seven U.S. pilgrimage sites where the faithful can observe the Jubilee closer to home.
What the Jubilee Year means
A Jubilee Year is a special year of grace in the Catholic Church, marked by particular opportunities for conversion, pilgrimage, and the gaining of indulgences. This Franciscan Jubilee honors St. Francis of Assisi, who died in 1226 and whose radical embrace of poverty and peace continues to speak to our time.
Pope Leo XIV announced the Jubilee as a call to live Franciscan simplicity and care for creation in a world marked by conflict and inequality. The seven U.S. sites identified by Aleteia include Franciscan shrines, missions, and churches with deep historical ties to the Franciscan tradition.
Why this matters
Not every Catholic can make a transatlantic pilgrimage to Assisi, where St. Francis lived and where his incorrupt body rests in the Basilica of St. Francis. But the Church has long recognized that pilgrimage is less about distance than disposition. These U.S. sites offer Americans a chance to enter the Jubilee spiritually without crossing an ocean.
St. Francis is the patron saint of animals, ecology, and Italy, but his witness belongs to the universal Church. His simplicity and devotion to Christ crucified make him a model for laypeople, religious, and clergy alike. A Jubilee Year centered on Francis reminds us that holiness does not require wealth or power, only surrender.
For Catholic readers
If you live near one of the seven sites, consider visiting before January 10, 2027. Pray the Prayer of St. Francis, attend Mass, and spend time in silence before the Blessed Sacrament. Even if you cannot visit any of these locations, you can observe the Jubilee by reading the life of St. Francis or meditating on his Canticle of the Sun.
Sources:
1. Aleteia — original report
