ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 19, 23 January 1926, Page 16

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

SEVEN HUNDREDTH ANNI-

VERSARY.

Great excitement has been caused in Borne by a report that on the occasion of the celebration of the 700 th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, in which the Fascist Government is taking r intense interest on the initiative of Signor Mussolini, the Pope, Piux XI., will go from the Vatican, accompanied by cardinals and numerous prelates, on a pilg?image to Assisi (says the Borne correspondent of ,the "Daily Telegraph"). Signor Mussolini published a special message to Italians abroad exalting the memory of the Saint, It is as follows: —

"With the highest genius in poetry, Pante, with the boldest navigator of the seas, Columbus, and with the profoundest mind in art and science, Leonardo da Vinci, Italy has also given the saintliest of saints to Christianity and humanity in St. Francis of Assisi, because in him, together with loftiness of genius and character, ware the simplicity of spirit of our race,- the ardour for ideal conquests, and, when needed, also the virtues of renunciation and sacrifice. Thus first in order of time Italy, by producing the Saint of Assisi among her great ones when still held in the throes of rude mediaeval evolution revealed, it may be said the first signs of her revival and affirmed her renewed quality of nobility and humanism. St. Francis rises transfigured over the heat and fumes of the passions of his century, aj>d, lifting up the cross in his emaciated hands, holds up the glorious emblem of charity and of peace. His spirit was carried to the east and west in ships, by his missionaries; carrying the light that never goes out; it inspired the Franciscan artists and schools and illuminated the world. In tho year 1026 the 700 th anniversary of St. Francis's death will be commemorated, and with it also Italy with renewed spirit returns to the records of its sublime inspirer. Italians abroad in their religious and other commemorations will think with noble pride of their country, Italy, which gave the world such a marvellous aurora."-

For over a year Signer Mussolini has been negotiating for the restitution to the Franciscan friars of their mother house at Assisi, the famous convent, adjoining the chapel where the body of St. Francis is buried, and which was taken from them in 1875 and converted into a college owned by the State, under the name of Principe di Napoli. The Fascist Government has offered to pay all the expenaes, amounting to nearly 4,000,000 lire, for the erection of a new building to which to transfer the present college, leaving the old convent, with all its historic associations, free to be occupied again by the Franciscans and become the residence of the Super ior-G ,:neral of the order. Pressure at the same time is being brought on "Vatican circles to induce the Pope to sanction a reconciliation between the State and the Church by a solemn visit as a. pilgrim to Assisi. The queslion is oven discussed whether the Pope will travel in a motor-cyr or by train. But all this is evidently premature. The only thing certain is that serious negotiations have been going on, and the Pope ham sent a special commission to A#eu>i.