Zadar Franciscan Monastery celebrates 800th anniversary of Saint Francis

The Franciscan Monastery of St. Francis in Zadar is celebrating the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. According to tradition, the saint visited Zadar in 1212 while traveling to the Holy Land, an event linked to the founding of the monastery, which is the oldest Franciscan monastery in Croatia.

Historical records, including a bull from Pope Gregory IX dated August 8, 1228, confirm the monastery's significance and the saint's inclusion in the list of saints. The Church of St. Francis in Zadar was consecrated as a basilica in 1280, making it one of the first in the Franciscan order to hold that title.

To mark the jubilee, the monastery is holding a nine-day celebration leading up to the feast day of Saint Francis on October 4. During these festivities, religious services have focused on the themes of poverty and freedom central to the Franciscan life.