Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi
Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi
30
Jun
30/06/2026
Public Lecture on the Artistic and Spiritual Heritage of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
To celebrate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, the Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy (FRSP) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), the Catholic Institute of Theology in Macao, and the Order of Friars Minor, co- hosted a public lecture entitled “Seeing St. Francis: Franciscan Spirituality in the Frescoes of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi”.
The lecture took place on Saturday, June 20, in the Millennium Hall of St. Rosa de Lima Secondary School (Chinese Section). The speaker was Father Francis Lee Yongho, OFM, from the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego. The lecture was delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation provided in Cantonese and Mandarin. Many religious and lay participants attended.
Fr. Lee, a member of the Korean Franciscan Province, previously taught for four years at the Pontifical Antonianum University in Rome, serving as Assistant Professor of Systematic and Comparative Theology.
In his introduction, Fr. Lee emphasized that medieval churches were not only places of worship and community gathering, but also canvases for expressing theological and spiritual thought through art and architecture. He highlighted the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi as a prime example of the perfect integration of art, architecture, and spirituality within the Franciscan tradition.
The lecture explored the famous fresco cycles inside the basilica, analyzing their visual composition and theological meaning. These works embody the core Franciscan values of poverty, humility, the goodness of creation, and imitation of Christ. Slides presented magnificent images of the basilica’s upper and lower churches, St. Francis’s tomb, frescoes depicting the saint’s life, and maps of Assisi.
Fr. Lee also quoted theologian John Saward: “Perceptible beauty attracts the eyes and the heart. It awakens our wonder. The holy beauty of the saints has the same effect. It inspires admiration and leads others to follow the same path, responding to Christ’s call to be perfect, as the Father is perfect.”
Through this lecture, participants gained deeper insight into how the basilica serves as a “visual sermon,” concretely manifesting Franciscan charism through narrative art and architectural design. The lecture concluded with references to important scholarly works on the history and artistic significance of the basilica.
This event was part of a special series commemorating the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s death, highlighting the ongoing relevance of Franciscan spirituality in contemporary theological reflection and cultural appreciation.
After the lecture, Brother William Ng introduced the meaning of the commemorative series, encouraging participants to join the “Walking in Francis’s Footsteps” pilgrimage. Even if unable to complete every stop in the pilgrim passport, he urged participants to read the writings of St. Francis, describing reading itself as a “spiritual pilgrimage.”
The gathering concluded with prayers at the Chapel of St. Clare, where participants prayed for the Pope’s intentions and recited the “Litany of the Saints of the Franciscan Family.” They were also invited to receive the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, fulfilling the conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence.
