Eight hundred years of the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi. And eight hundred years of Clarian and Franciscan presence in Milan. To remember and celebrate these anniversaries, Franciscan families organize a year-long journey that combines art, history, culture, testimony and spirituality.
In fact, on 29 November 1223, Pope Honorius III approved the Rule of life of Francis of Assisi and his friars; in the same year, ancient documents attest to the presence in Milan of Poor Clares, followers of Clare of Assisi. Eight centuries later, the Capuchin Museum hosts two exhibitions. The first was inaugurated yesterday: “We have made our way: the road of Clare and Francis”, which sees the exhibition of the lunette by Lorenzo Berrettini of the monastery of the Poor Clares of Cortona. The canvas, restored for the occasion, left its seat for the first time; around this are exhibited paintings from the permanent collection of the Capuchin Cultural Heritage of Lombardy always linked to the figures of Clare and Francesco.
«We are excited to make ourselves present among you even with just a few words. The coming to the Capuchin Museum in Milan of Lorenzo Berrettini’s “Sacred Conversation”, kept in our church, was and continues to be the experience of the gift of bonds, bonds that have the good flavor of friendship “: this is the message arrived in Milan from the Poor Clares of Cortona. The work represents the Virgin Mary carrying the little Jesus in her arms; on the two sides are depicted St. Francis and St. Clare kneeling, engaged in a dialogue he with the Child and she with the Madonna.
«The events that the museum organizes, including this extraordinary exhibition, are designed to reach not only art lovers but also those interested in Franciscanism. The idea of the museum is in fact to restore the nature of the friars, that is to tell their story starting from a work of art, which is also the story of the community that enjoyed the work at that time “said Rosa Giorgi, director of the museum and curator of the exhibition, which will remain open to the public until January 14th. In its place, from 18 March to 17 June 2023, the exhibition entitled “We have made our way: the Rule and life” will be set up, which will make the ancient parchments that attest to the first presence of the Poor Clares in Milan visible to the public.
During the year, meetings of prayer and witness of faith will be organized on the various aspects of the Franciscan vocation. The first on the day of the anniversary of the approval of the Rule: on Tuesday 29 November there will be “Brothers and Sisters on the way to the Gospel”, organized by the Friars Minor of the Sant’Angelo convent. We will then move on to 2023: on February 8 the Capuchin Friars Minor of the convent of the Sacred Heart will animate “Following Christ in poverty and charity”; then on April 20 there will be “Called to the proclamation of the Gospel” with the Friars Minor Conventual of the convent Beata Vergine Immacolata and Sant’Antonio. The last two events will be on June 6 and September 14. In the first case, the Poor Sisters of St. of the Franciscan vocation “.
At the end of a year of celebrations and memories, a concluding Mass of the centenary year will be held, presided over by Archbishop Mario Delpini: the appointment is for 4 October 2023 (St. Francis’ day) in the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio.
Special mention for “Traces of Franciscan History in Milan”, a study conference to be held at the Franciscan Center Rosetum on May 6, from 9.30 onwards.
Holy art. Milan is preparing to celebrate 800 years of the Franciscan Rule