Franciscans to mark his Transitus — so what is it?

Each year on Oct. 3, the followers of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) — friars, nuns, laypeople — mark the globally popular saint’s own journey from life to death, his “Transitus” as it is known in Latin, through special community commemorations.

But what meaning does the Transitus hold, especially on this 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, and during the Jubilee Year of St. Francis proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV, if you aren’t a Franciscan?

“I think the answer is self-evident. We are all going to die,” said Fr. Joseph Mary Elder, director of vocations and communications for the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Conrad, in Denver.

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“The Transitus is the celebration of the passing of St. Francis of Assisi from earthly life to heavenly glory,” he explained. “It is not so much the passing of St. Francis — everyone dies after all — but the manner in which St. Francis of Assisi died. St. Francis embraced death in much the same way he had learned to live his life: with a radical and total fearlessness.”

That fearlessness led the saint to actually recite his own poetic acclaim of God as he began to expire.

“As St. Francis was dying, his body was racked with pain; he was nearly blind, and yet, he was speaking aloud the ‘Canticle of Creation’ he had written only shortly before,” said Elder.

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The “Canticle of Creatures,” also called the “Canticle of the Sun,” was written by St. Francis between 1225-1226. It lyrically praises God through the elements of nature.

“In the painful darkness of encroaching death, Francis was singing a composition praising the glory of God revealed all around him in the brilliance of creation,” said Elder. “What a paradox! May this be true for each and every one of us.”

One way to learn about St. Francis and his spirit of surrender is to attend or watch a Transitus ceremony, which can be found at many Franciscan-staffed parishes or livestreamed online. Some typical elements are highlights from Francis’ life by his early biographers; recitation of his writings; Scripture; hymns; and prayer.

There are approximately 650,000 Franciscans in 110 countries. Nearly 35,000 Franciscan friars belong to the First Order of Friars Minor, the First Order of Capuchin Franciscans, the First Order of Conventual Franciscans and the Third Order Regular. Followers of St. Clare (Poor Clares) number about 60,000 cloistered religious women. There are close to 155,000 Third Order Regular religious sisters and brothers. Additionally, 400,000 single and married women and men follow the way of St. Francis as Secular Franciscans.

So what might St. Francis hope faithful Catholics and other Franciscan friends will remember the 800th anniversary of his death?

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For Fr. Greg Friedman, an author, journalist and Franciscan friar in the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who will be in Rome for the Transitus, a motto of St. Francis comes to mind.

“’I have done what is mine; may Christ teach you what is yours.’ I think this is a very important saying of Francis. What he would want — in this 800th anniversary year — would be to say, ‘How are you focusing on what is yours to do? What is yours to do, in the spirit of Jesus?’ ”

A version of this article appeared in the October 04, 2026 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Franciscans to mark his Transitus — so what is it?".