Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi
For the Franciscans, the death of our father does not constitute a loss, but a celebration of his transit.
St. Francis dedicated his last days in this world to praise God, encouraging his brothers to accompany him in his praise. He also invited all creatures to praise him, with stanzas he had previously written (cf. 1 Cel 109). Even to the same death, terrible and painful for all, he exhorted her to praise, until he finally invited her to come closer:
Welcome sister death!
One day the doctor Buongiovanni, his friend, forced by the Saint to tell the truth, confessed confidently that his evil was incurable and that he would die at the end of September or, most of all, at the beginning of October. Heard which, he exclaimed: Welcome my sister death! Also a friar, perhaps Brother Elias, told him about his next departure and, to prepare his mood, he told him that his death, although painful for the brothers and for many people, for him would be an infinite joy, the rest of his fatigue and The greatest of wealth. And he invited him to give everyone an example of serenity and joy. Francisco's response was to call Fray Angel and Fray León and start singing the Song of Brother Sol, to which he added a new stanza, which said: Praise you, my Lord, for our sister, body death, of which no man Live can escape. Woe to those who will die in mortal sin! Blessed are those who will find in your most holy will, for the second death will not harm him.
Ask to be transferred to the Porciuncula
Since then he asked his companions daily to sing the song to him, to cushion the suffering and edification of those who were guarding every night around the bishop's house. Elijah did not find such behavior prudent, fearing that they would be scandalized, thinking that, instead of singing, he would have to be crying his sins, so that he proposed the transfer to the Porciuncula, where he would not be surrounded by laity. Francis reminded Elijah that until two years before he had done so, but that, since the Lord in St. Damien assured him of the Kingdom, he already felt like singing songs in the midst of tribulations.
Bless the city of Assisi
Monday 28 or Tuesday September 29, 1226: The brothers transferred Francisco to Santa Maria on a stretcher, accompanied by many Assisans. Upon arriving at the hospital of San Salvador de las Paredes (Casa Gualdi), he wanted to bless the city of Assisi, with these words: Lord, I believe that this city was once the refuge and refuge of bad and unjust people, poorly seen throughout the region . But by your abundant mercy, in the time that you have wanted, I see that you have manifested the waste of your goodness, so that it has become a refuge and dwelling place for those who know you and glorify your name and spread the perfume of a Holy life, of a right doctrine and of a good reputation in all the Christian people. I beg you, therefore, Lord Jesus Christ, father of mercy, not to look at our ingratitude, but to remember only the abundant mercy that you have manifested to him. May this city be the land and dwelling place of those who know you and glorify your blessed and glorious name for ever and ever. Amen.
Unexpected arrival of "Fray Jacoba"
He was housed in the infirmary, which was the first house built by the brothers at the beginning, when they moved from Rivotorto to La Porciúncula. As soon as she arrived she remembered Mrs. Jacoba de Settesoli, so attached to him and the fraternity, and dictated for her the following letter: To Madonna Jacoba, servant of God, Friar Francis, poor little Christ, health and communion of the Holy Spirit in Our Lord Jesus Christ. You must know, dearest, that the blessed Christ has revealed to me, by his grace, that the end of my life is very near. So, if you want to find me alive, get on the road as soon as you read this letter and come to Saint Mary of the Angels, because if you don't arrive for that day, you won't find me alive. And bring with you ashen cloth to cover my body and the wax necessary for burial. And I beg you to also bring me those things to eat that you used to give me when I was sick in Rome.
They were still looking for a friar to carry the letter when Mrs. Jacoba came to the door with her son and a large retinue of people. What do we do, father? Did we let her in? Said a friar, paying attention to the closing; but he exclaimed, very happy: That happens, that this rule is not valid for 'fray' Jacoba. The woman lay at her wounded feet, crying like a cupcake. Then he explained that, in prayer, the Lord had told him to hurry to go to Assisi, with all that Francis asked for in the letter.
Bless Fray Bernardo
While eating the sweets prepared by the noble Roman lady, Francis remembered Bernard of Quintavalle, his first companion: He would like to try them. And he sent for him. Then he blessed him and commanded to write the following: Fray Bernard was the first brother the Lord gave me. He was the first to embrace and put into practice the perfection of the Gospel, distributing his goods to the poor. That is why, and for many more merits, I am obliged to love him more than any other. Therefore, I want and order, as soon as it is in my hands, that the general minister, whoever he is, loves him and honors him as myself, and that the provincial ministers and the other brothers consider him as if he were me "His Words were a great comfort to Bernard and to the other brothers present.
Bless Clara and her companions
While the Saint lay in the Porciuncula, Clara, in St. Damian, was very sick and feared to die before him. When the saint knew it, he sent them a blessing in writing, assuring that they would see it, she and her sisters, and feel a great thing. Among other things he told them: I, Fray Francis, the little one, want to follow the life and poverty of our Most High Lord Jesus Christ and of the Blessed Mother, and persevere in her until the end; and I beg you, my ladies, and I advise you to always live in this most holy life and poverty. And be alert, never to depart from it by teaching or advice from anyone.
"I have finished my homework"
After a horrible night of pain, believing that he was dying, he asked to be put naked on the floor and, in that position, while covering the sore on his side with his hand, he exclaimed: Brothers, I have finished my task. Christ will teach you yours. Everyone cried. The guardian forced him out of obedience to dress again and he, happy to have been faithful to the poverty lady until the end, raised his hands and began to sing to the Lord.
Bless Brother Elias and the entire Order
Seeing him in these conditions, Brother Elias asked him to forgive and bless all the brothers of the Order and Francisco did so, asking him to bless everyone in his name when he communicated his death. Then he began to comfort, encourage and exhort those present, speaking of patience, poverty and fidelity to the Church of Rome, insisting that they put the Gospel above any other norm. He then blessed everyone, one by one, starting with Brother Elias, to whom he said: To you, son, I bless you in everything and for everything. And as the Most High has multiplied the number of my brothers and children under your direction, I bless you all in you and over you. God, King of the universe, bless you in heaven and on earth, and I bless you all I can and more than I can. And what I cannot do in you who can do everything. God remembers your works and works and your inheritance is preserved in the retribution of the righteous. May you find all the blessing you desire and be granted what you ask worthily. He did the same with the other brothers, present, absent and future, suffering from not being able to see them all before his departure.
Like a holy thursday
He then asked to read the text of the Gospel that says: Before the Passover holiday, Jesus knowing that he had bequeathed the time to pass from this world to the Father, having loved his own loved them to the extreme ... (Jn 13) .
He died singing and blessing the Lord
The few days left before his transit to the Father he used them in praise, encouraging his people to do the same. Knowing that death was getting closer, he called Fray León and Fray Angel and sent them to sing with joy and loudly, once again, the Song of Brother Sun. He, in the meantime, sang how Psalm 142 could: In a loud voice I cry out to the Lord, in a loud voice I beg the Lord; I vent my worries before him, I expose my anguish before him, while I am missing my breath ... His companions had warned them: When you see me about to expire, put me naked on the ground, like the day before yesterday, and let me lie like this, dead, the time it takes to travel a mile (something like an hour).
Like a star
At dusk on Saturday, October 3, despite having already darkened, the larks continued to flutter around the house where Francisco lay dying. To those present it seemed the signal that the time had come. He had two or three months to turn 45. He had second to the Lord for more than 20 and the last two lived crucified and seriously ill. One of the many brothers present saw his soul rise like a star, large as the moon and bright as the sun, on a white cloud. Far from there, in southern Italy, Fray Agustin de Asis died at the same time, exclaiming: Wait for me, father, wait for me, I'm going with you! Another friar saw him dressed as a deacon and followed by a procession of people asking him: Isn't that Francisco? "Isn't that Christ?" And the friar answered everyone yes, because it seemed to everyone the same person. Also Bishop Guido, absent from Assisi for a pilgrimage, saw him in dreams saying: Look, father, I leave the world and go to Christ.
The stigmas exposed
After remaining naked on the floor some time his body was washed and shrouded. It seemed to Fray Leon that he was a crucified man coming down from the cross. Its members, formerly rigid as those of a corpse, became soft and flexible like those of a child. The first of the laity to dare to reveal the mystery of stigmata was Jacoba, who kept hugging her body and kissing her five wounds. The crowd, hundreds of people gathered from across the region, kept singing and praising the Lord, for allowing them to witness such a prodigy, so hard to believe. Everyone felt honored, those who managed to kiss them and those who could only see them, in tears of pain, joy and gratitude at the same time. We have seen what we have said, said Fray Tomás de Celano, with words taken from the evangelist John. These hands write what they themselves have felt. And he adds: Several of our brothers have seen him with us while the saint lived, and in his death, more than fifty, in addition to countless lay people, have revered him. Messer Jerónimo, noble Assisi gentleman dared to feel the sore on his side and remove the nails from his hands and feet.
Funeral procession
Sunday, October 4: Religious and lay people spent the night sailing, between songs and praises, in the light of the torches. The next morning, for fear that the Peruvians, enemies of the Assisans, could steal such a precious relic, they transferred their bodies to the church of St. George, in Assisi. All carried lit candles and olive branches in their hands and sang to the sound of trumpets.
The cry of Clara and her sisters
The funeral procession made a detour through San Damián, so that the Damianites could give their last greeting to Francisco. For the occasion they removed the fence of the closure for which they used to receive communion and some brothers held in their arms the body of the Saint so that they could contemplate it for the last time. The description that Celano has left us crying from those poor inmates is, without a doubt, one of the most emotional and intense pages of medieval literature. One after another, trying to contain their emotions, they could kiss their wounded hands, while they were all sharing their pain.
Burial in St. George
St. George's choice could not be more accurate: that church had been Francisco's parish and school, and there he preached for the first time, after the approval of the Rule. His body was deposited in a rustic stone sarcophagus, protected by a solid iron cage and a wooden box. There he remained for four years, while a new church was being built for the final burial. Two friars settled in the hospice annex for the poor of the canons, to permanently guard the tomb. There were countless miracles that the Lord performed during those four years in St. George, through the intercession of the Saint.
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