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Shrines of St. Francis
There are many churches and cathedrals devoted to St Francis of
Assisi all over the world. The most notable in this nation is
National Shrine of St. Francis in San Francisco California.
The shrine is described as a replica of the little church, the
"Portiuncula", or "little corner of the world",
in Assisi where Saint Francis began to understand his vocation
to follow the Gospel and give up all worldly goods, pray for and
advocate peace, as well as take care of the poor and sick.
Beyond the large number of churches named for St. Francis, there
are also schools, collages and universities. Among those in the
United States are the St Francis University at Loretto, Pennsylvania,
and the University of St. Francis at Fort Wayne, Indiana
The Portiuncula in Assisi.
Saint Bonaventure reported that, "because of his reverence
for the angels, and of his great love of the Mother of Christ,
Saint Francis dedicated the Portiuncula to her". Saint
Francis intended to honor Mary by rebuilding the little chapel.
The Portiuncula remains an inspiration to everyone because it
was a source of St. Francis adoration of God. It keeps his message
of peace and love alive through the turmoil of today's world.
The Portiuncula is where St. Francis founded the Franciscan
Order of the Friars Minor in 1209,
In 1216, Jesus is said to have appeared to Saint Francis in a
vision and granted St. Francis' request that all who entered the
Portiuncula be pardoned. The Portiuncula is one of the rare Holy
Places in the world
The Basilica of St. Francis Assisi
Assisi was the birthplace of St. Francis (1182-1226 AD) and was
known as a sacred place long before the Franciscan era. Little
is known about the original founding of the town. Legends claim
it was either a holy spring founded by the Etruscans (9th-5th
centuries B.C) or it was founded by the Romans sometime during
the first century. During the Middle ages the town became an independent
commune and became part of the Italian kingdom in 1860.
Born in Assisi, the son of a wealthy merchant, Francis abandoned
his worldly possession at the age of 19. He experienced visions
of Christ and of Mary and began to compose poems before he founded
the Franciscan order in 1210. He was the first known to receive
the stigmata and those wounds are said to have caused him great
pain.
The Basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and
1253 A.C.. It's short period of construction, unusual for that
time and a church of that sixe, is explained as a measure of the
deep love the people felt for St. Francis. Today, the walled medieval
town and its great basilica are among the most visited Christian
shrines.
The remains of St. Francis were brought to the new church on
May 25, 1230. Pope Innocent IV consecrated the basilica on
May 25, 1253. Pope Benedict XIV declared the church a Patriarchal
Basilica and Papal Chapel on March 25, 1754 with the Constitution
"Fidelis Dominus". On September 12, 1818 Pius VII gave
permission to the Minister General of the Friars Minor to proceed
with the excavations beneath the main altar of the lower basilica
in search of the tomb of St. Francis. Francis tomb was concealed
by Brother Elias and then by Pope Eugene IV in 1476. The tomb
was found on December 8, 1818 and on December 12 St. Francis remains
were exhumed.
On June 18, 1939 Pope Pius XII declared St. Francis patron saint
of Italy. A votive lamp containing oil donated by the various
regions of the Italian peninsula burns on the tomb.
In 1442 Pope Eugene IV and in 1476 Pope Sixtus IV sealed the tomb
to prevent it from being disturbed during fighting between the
noble families of Assisi and Perugia. It was kept totally concealed
until Pope Paul VI gave permission to allow St. Francis remains
to be properly investigated by Umbrian bishops, medical experts
and archeologists.
The relics that remain are a stone used as a pillow for the body
of the saint, as he lay in the sepulcher since 1230. There were
eleven silver coins found in the sarcophagus identical to those
found in the sepulcher of St. Mark in Venus. They prove the times
of birth, death and burial of St. Francis, thus authenticating
his remains.
The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN)
An unlikely shrine of St. Francis was launched on August 15, 1981,
the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Many felt there would
be little demand for a Catholic network, but now, in its 27th
year, EWTN has become the largest religious media network in the
world. It transmits programming 24 hours a day to more than 148
million homes in 140 countries and territories on more than 4,800
cable systems, wireless cable, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS),
low power TV and individual satellite users.
EWTN Global Catholic Network airs family and religious programming
from a Catholic point of view in English and Spanish. With more
than 80% original programming, EWTN offers inspiring talk shows,
entertaining children's animation, exclusive teaching series,
live coverage of Church events, and thought-provoking documentaries.
Beyond the broadcast vision, first and foremost, the spiritual
heart of the EWTN mission is to provide the Eternal Word of Jesus
Christ to everyone. The religious centers of the network are visited
daily by pilgrims who travel to Irondale to worship in the chapel
or visit the breathtakingly beautiful Shrine of the Most Blessed
Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama. Visitors of all faiths are invited
to "come away by yourself to a quiet place, and rest awhile"
(Mark 6:31)
In the early 1960s, Mother M. Angelica, a Poor Clare nun, cloistered
and dedicated to the perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
fulfilled a promise made to our Lord by founding Our Lady of Angels
Monastery in Irondale, Alabama, USA. In one of her early evangelizing
efforts Mother Angelica began writing "mini-books",
short teachings on a variety of religious themes. As the popularity
of these "mini-books" grew, her nuns obtained a printing
press and started duplicating and distributing them worldwide
Without making plans for the future, Mother Angelica, relying
completely on Divine Providence, believes in going "where
God opens the door."
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