Franciscan Centenary: the inauguration in Greccio with the six Ministers General of the Franciscan Family

Greccio, 7 January 2023. In the presence of the six Minister Generals of the Franciscan Family, the Franciscan Centenary was inaugurated today, a series of events retracing the last stages of the life of St Francis of Assisi, leading to the 800th anniversary of the Passover of the Seraphic Father.

The celebration, presided over by Br Luciano de Giusti, Minister Provincial of the St Bonaventure Province of the Order of Friars Minor, took place in the church of the sanctuary of Greccio where, on Christmas night 1223, St Francis desired to celebrate a very special Christmas. 

2023 marks the 800th anniversary of the Rule of the Order (29 November 1223) and the Christmas of Greccio.

In the first part, a copy of the Later Rule was enthroned at the foot of the altar. Then, passages from the Rule and Testament of St Francis were read, closely related to each other, forming a profound unity, both nourished by the one great evangelical ideal that always guided the steps of St Francis.

The second part recalled the first Christmas in Greccio, when St Francis, as recounted by Thomas of Celano, the saint's first biographer, wanted to show contemporary eyes the hardship that the Family of Nazareth had to face to give birth to the baby Jesus.

In the last part of the celebration, the six Minister Generals, accompanied by Brother Luciano de Giusti, carried the statue of the Infant Jesus in procession to the Sanctuary's cave.

The expression Franciscan Family is used broadly to indicate all religious groups inspired by the charism of St Francis. The Franciscan charism has inspired men and women, both lay/religious and religious/priests, who have formed different groups over the centuries. The Conference of the Franciscan Family is made up of six members: the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv), the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap), the Minister General of the Third Order Regular (TOR), the Minister General of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), and the President of the International Franciscan Conference of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular (CFI-TOR).

The following took part in today's celebration: 
Br Massimo Fusarelli, OFM; 
Br Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, OFM Conv; 
Br Roberto Genuin, OFM Cap; 
Br Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR; 
Br Tibor Kauser, OFS; 
Sr Daisy Kalamparamban, Vice-president IFC-TOR.

Download the booklet of the celebration

The Centenary is made up of five Centenaries divided into four years, during which we will reflect on the Rule and Christmas at Greccio (1223-2023), the gift of the Stigmata (1224-2024), the Canticle of the Creatures (1225-2025) and the Passover of Francis of Assisi (1226-2026). Read more

Melania Bruno
Communications Office OFM