San Marino · 800th anniversary of the death of Francesco d'Assisi

Francesco d’Assisi was born in Assisi as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone. He came from a wealthy merchant family, but after a religious crisis he turned to a life of poverty and service to those in need. His circle also included Clare of Assisi (Klara von Assisi), who founded the community of the Poor Clares following his example.

The initially small group of his companions developed into the Order of Friars Minor, also known as the Franciscans. Francesco placed particular emphasis on a life without personal possessions, the proclamation of the Gospel and direct service to the sick and marginalized. The order’s rule was recognized by the Church in the 13th century. The Franciscan Order thus belongs to the early mendicant orders that had a lasting influence on religious life and pastoral care in the cities of Europe.

Francesco’s spirituality is also reflected in his surviving writings and prayers. Particularly well known is the “Canticle of the Sun” (“Sonnengesang”), in which the sun, moon, water, fire and earth are addressed as parts of creation. The text is also regarded as an early testimony to the Italian vernacular. It is also recorded that Francesco bore the stigmata of Christ during the final years of his life. After his death, he was canonized only a short time later.

His veneration is not limited to Italy. Franciscan communities spread across many countries, and Francesco became a permanent figure in European religious and cultural history. His name is also associated with Assisi, which plays an important role as a pilgrimage site.

The choice of this subject for a commemorative coin can be explained by its connection with church history, Italian culture and a personality known worldwide to this day. For San Marino, the issue also provides an opportunity to take up a subject from the Catholic-influenced European cultural sphere, without requiring a direct biographical connection between the saint and the microstate.