Francis' year: Discovering LA's spiritual roots in Assisi

Vol. 11, No. 8

April 17, 2026

On the cover: Medieval artist Cimabue’s depiction of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy. Eight hundred years ago this year, St. Francis of Assisi died in a small room at the Portiuncula, the church he helped rebuild and the birthplace of his Franciscan religious order. Starting on Page 10, we look at how St. Francis’ spirit has shaped the Faith in Southern California, and at the special opportunities for LA Catholics who visit a new list of pilgrimage sites during Pope Leo’s “Year of St. Francis.”