The feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis is coming up on September 17th. Has your fraternity thought much about this mystical event in St Francis’ life? Did you know that St. Francis was the first known person to receive the stigmata? Please read the lesson below and share it with your fraternities. Peace, Dona
As members of the Franciscan family, our culture includes important events in the life of our founder. We will celebrate one of these important moments next week.
What do you know about the Stigmata of St. Francis?
· Around the time of what feast did St. Francis receive the
Stigmata?
· Where was he at the time?
· Who else was present?
· How did he receive the Stigmata?
· What had Francis asked of God?
· On what day do we commemorate this event in Francis’s
life?
Who received the wounds of Christ prior to St. Francis?
+ St. Francis received the Stigmata around the feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross in
September of 1224–two years before his death.
+ He was praying on Mt. La Verna preparing for the feast of St. Michael the Archangel.
+ Brother Leo was nearby.
+ While praying, Francis saw a Seraph with six wings. (Seraphs are angels of the highest order who are closest to God and most passionate in praising Him.) Between the wings was the image of a crucified man. When the vision disappeared, Francis was marked with the wounds of Christ. (St. Francis’s encounter with the Seraph and his passion in praising the Father has caused the Franciscan Order to be called the Seraphic Order and Francis our Seraphic Father.)
+ Francis had asked to experience the love Jesus felt for us and also the pain he suffered for
us.
+ We celebrate the Feast of the Stigmata on September 17th
+ St. Francis is the first person in recorded Christian history to receive the Stigmata.
Pope St, John Paul II (On a visit to Mt. La Verna in 1983)
Chair, National Formation Commission
