Within the framework of the Jubilee Year commemorating the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Vatican has announced a special cycle of Lenten meditations centered on the figure of the saint of Assisi as a living example of transformation through the Gospel.

From  March 6 to 27, 2026 , every Friday at 9:00 a.m. (Rome time), in the Paul VI Audience Hall, Father Roberto Pasolini—a Capuchin friar and current Preacher to the Papal Household—will lead these sessions of prayer and reflection. The chosen theme is:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Conversion to the Gospel according to Saint Francis .

In his letter of invitation addressed to cardinals, archbishops, bishops, members of the Roman Curia, religious superiors, seminarians, Vatican employees, and all interested parties, Father Pasolini emphasizes that this liturgical season, linked to the Jubilee of Hope, represents a privileged opportunity to embrace the gift of authentic conversion to the Gospel. It is not simply a matter of commemorating a historical anniversary, but of allowing this grace to transform daily life.

The preacher emphasizes the enduring value of St. Francis’s witness, whom he describes as a “radiant witness to a renewed humanity” born from a personal encounter with Christ. The Poverello’s journey—from embracing the lepers, through discovering the Gospel at the Porziuncola, to universal fraternity and proclaiming the Kingdom—culminates in a profound joy, forged amidst hardship and culminating in the serene acceptance of death as “sister.”

Pasolini clarifies that Saint Francis should not be understood as an external model to be superficially copied, but rather as an inner path that awakens the desire to live the Gospel fully and open oneself to a life guided by the Holy Spirit. It is precisely from this perspective that the meditations seek to create a space for attentive listening and spiritual discernment, inspired by Paul’s affirmation that in Christ we are a “new creation.”

Program of the four meditations:

• March 6 : “Conversion. Following Jesus on the path of humility.”
• March 13 : “Fraternity. The grace and commitment of communion between brothers.”
• March 20 : “The mission. To proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
• March 27 : “The freedom of the children of God. Perfect joy and death as a sister.”

These sessions, open to the participation of interested faithful (according to the usual format of these events), invite us to rediscover how the Franciscan experience can illuminate today’s Lenten journey, promoting personal and communal renewal in an evangelical key.