How Francis’s first martyrs gave the Church Saint Anthony of Padua

The Year of Francis begins as the Church marks 800 years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Discover why his life and Gospel witness still matter today.

Imagine holding a piece of fabric that might have once wrapped the baby Jesus, touched by the hands of Mary herself. That's the captivating story behind the veil preserved in the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi.

In 2026, Catholics worldwide will commemorate 800 years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, a man whose radical simplicity, humility, and love for all creation transformed the Church and continues to inspire millions today.

Many of us feel it — that quiet longing for something deeper. A slower pace. A more grounded faith. A renewed sense of God's presence. But in the noise and pressure of daily life, holiness can feel distant — like something reserved for mystics, martyrs, or another time entirely.

Carlo, smile of heaven for this wounded and peaceless world, we praise God for your simple, joyful, and holy life. You accepted with trust to be stripped of your youth to dedicate yourself in heaven, with Jesus and Mary, to a mission of boundless love.

At Via Assisi, everything begins with the saints — ordinary people who responded to God with extraordinary love.