Franciscan Sanctuaries

Portiuncula

PART ONE … HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Most travellers to Assisi alight from the train at the station called “Santa Maria degli Angeli” (St Mary of the Angels) and from there they take a bus to the hill town of Assisi. But in St Francis’ time this part was covered by a thick forest. In the centre of the wood was an ancient church, built to honour Mary, the mother of God, and belonging to the monastery of Monte Subasio. People of the time believed that angels sang to praise Mary in this little clearing of the forest. They built the tiny church there in honour of Mary and the Angels. At first the monastery cared for it and named it “Portiuncula -- The Little Portion” on account of its distance and small importance to their estates.

However in Francis’ time the monks no longer came. In fact it was deserted. Here were dangerous walls, loosened stones, broken bricks. The sky shone through holes in the roof and the ruined window. The door no longer closed. The altar, before which no one any longer prayed, was a ruin. It became the third church that Francis restored in the first days of his conversion, observing the direction he had heard from the crucifix in the church of San Damiano, “Go Francis and repair my falling house!” Nearby was a small hut that a shepherd sometimes used. Francis lived there while he was repairing the church. Then, at last, the church was fit for the celebration of mass. It was February 24th, 1209, Two years had passed since Francis had given back his clothes to his father in the presence of the bishop of Assisi. Now the young convert was about to pass to a new understanding of his vocation, and the neglected church was about to become the centre of the Franciscan movement.

As the celebrant read the Gospel its words went straight to Francis’ heart. “Provide yourself with neither gold nor silver nor copper in your belts. No travelling bag, no change of shirt, no sandals, and no walking staff.” (Mt 10:7-14) Here in the words of Christ was described the road to truth that he had already travelled by experience. He immediately flung down his stick, gave away his sandals, and changed his belt for a cord. He was ready to be the Herald of his King.

Meanwhile Francis’ dangerous ideas were disturbing the worthy fathers of the city. They met to devise a plan to keep him quiet. Imagine their consternation when Bernado, one of the most respected and learned lawyers of the city, joined Francis at the Portiuncula. Then Silvestro, a learned canon of the cathedral, followed him. Giles decided not to pursue his dream of being a knight, and joined these first companions. Francis rejoiced that God had confirmed his way of life by sending him companions. The four set off to preach the gospel. From then on Francis always saw the little church as the cradle of his order. He returned to this church after all his journeys and summoned his friars to the little woodland clearing each year for their Chapters. He instructed them to reverence the humble little church as the beginning of their Gospel life. Every year the friars give the monks of Monte Subasio a basket of fish as their “rent” for the little church.

It was in this primitive church that Saint Clare found Francis and his first companions that Palm Sunday night when she left her family home, and where Francis solemnly received her into the order.

Go to Portiuncula Part Two ... The Place We Visit Today

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