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The Porziuncola
In the first decade of the 13th century, the Porziuncola or Chapel of St. Mary of the Angels (which is only several kilometers from Assisi) stood in the middle of a forest. The village setting was not there; neither, of course, was the basilica in which the Porziuncola stands today. It was commissioned by Pope Pius V in 1569 and today also carries the name of St. Mary of the Angels.
When the Benedictines gave the Porziuncola to Francis in 1210 it was already in disrepair. Francis and his brothers rebuilt the chapel and then settled into neighboring huts.
Francis was deeply drawn to the Porziuncola. It made him feel at peace. Francis also new that angels visited the chapel. That spiritual intensity combined with a vision convinced Francis to ask Pope Honorius III for the Perdono di Assisi, a special indulgence for all those who visit the Porziuncola and repent their sins.
The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels
Two other events give the Porziuncola an indelible Franciscan connection. It was to this chapel on the night of March 18, 1212 that Clare first went after deciding to live a Franciscan life. Francis and his brothers welcomed Clare by cutting her hair and offering her a rough habit as a garment. This ritual extracted Clare from her former life as a wealthy aristocrat and allowed her to embrace poverty.
The Porziuncola inside the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels
The second event that reaffirms the Franciscan connection to the Porziuncola is Francis’ death here on October 3, 1226. While his brothers surrounded Francis and one of them read to him the Gospel of John, his soul - according to Thomas of Celano - was “released from the flesh, and as it was absorbed into the abyss of light, his body fell asleep in the Lord.”
A statue of St. Francis in the northwest corner of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels
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