October 3rd: The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi
A Transitus commemoration at Archbishop Curley High School
in Baltimore, Maryland
To the uninitiated the word Transitus suggests some sort of journey from point A to point B. This is precicely what Franciscans celebrate about St. Francis of Assisi every October 3rd evening - Francis' journey from life here on Earth to life with God in heaven.
At the time of his death, St. Francis had been living a life of poverty and penance at the Chapel of Santa Maria degli Agneli (St. Mary of the Angels) a walk below the city of Assisi. He felt a sense of peace in the chapel, which was also known as the Porziuncola, and told stories of seeing Our Lady of Angels inside of it. He died there in the evening of October 3rd, 1226, at an infirmary next to the chapel after a reading the account of Jesus washing His disciples feet at the Last Supper in John 13. He was about 45 or 46 years old at the time of his death and is now buried in the Basiclia of St. Francis in Assisi.
St. Francis on the eve of his death
Celebrated by all Franciscans most probably since some time in the 18th century, the Transitus ritual reinvigorates our commitment to Jesus, reminding us also that Francis, the poor man of Assisi, had devoted his life to service and prayer. The actual Transitus ritual has evolved over time and may vary slightly from commemoration to commemorations. Its core however always includes a recounting of St. Francis' death.
