On the north west corner of what will be the Piazza Saint Francis, is now La Porziuncola Nuova.

The exciting Renaissance Project has recreated the little church that Saint Francis himself rebuilt. He named this little church the “Porziuncola”, meaning “little corner of the world”, that is, his “portion”.

It was here that Saint Francis began to understand his vocation to follow the Gospel and give up all worldly goods, pray for and advocate peace, and of course, take care of the poor and sick. The Porziuncola is also the place where he founded the Franciscan Order of the Friars Minor in 1209, “establishing here his home”.

Saint Bonaventure tells us that, “because of his reverence for the angels, and of his great love of the Mother of Christ,” Saint Francis dedicated the Porziuncola to her. Saint Francis felt that by rebuilding the little chapel, Mary would be honored. He described the Porziuncola as a source of his inspiration in his adoration of God. The Porziuncola remains today an inspiration to us all because of what it meant to Saint Francis. It keeps his message of peace and love alive and loud in today’s world.

In 1216, Jesus appeared to Saint Francis in a vision and granted his request that all who entered the Porziuncola be pardoned. The Porziuncola continues to be one of the rare Holy Places in the world!

The first phase of the Renaissance Project has been to replicate the Porziuncola in San Francisco’s North Beach. It is adjacent to the main church at the National Shrine of Saint Francis for all to see, visit and pray in this sacred place of contemplation and prayer, and to feel the energy of the spirit of Saint Francis.