The saint of poverty, simplicity and joy. Francis, the young Italian of Assisi, born Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone, has become one of the most recognized and revered saints of the Catholic Church. The feast of the founder of the Order of Friars Minor was celebrated in the Holy Land by his followers, in St. Savior Church, in Jerusalem. On October 3, the first vespers were recited, and also the young Franciscans in temporary commitment renewed their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Br. LUIGI EVANGELISTA, ofm Student of philosophy "I was fascinated by St. Francis' way of life. I said to myself: "This definitely suits me!" In addition to this strong feeling, the special beauty of the Holy Land totally attracted me. So, as soon as I discovered the Franciscans and the fact that they were here in the Holy Land, I put two and two together and I decided to stay." The traits of the Franciscan charism, that began centuries ago, continue to attract vocations. Br. MARCO CARRARA, ofm Student of theology “A great love for the Word of God, living together with the friars, in an international community, in which everyone lives out the Word of God according to their own uniqueness." In the 'rite of passage', the Franciscans recalled the last moments of life of their spiritual father. In his reflections, the Custos of the Holy Land, Francesco Patton, spoke of the origin of the word 'transit', explaining that 'transit' carries with it the meaning of 'crossover'. He said that death should be viewed as a Paschal experience. The solemn mass, celebrated on October 4, was presided over by the Prior of the Dominicans in Jerusalem, Martin Staszak. This practice follows and feeds the tradition of unity between the two charisms, Franciscan and Dominican. Fr. MARTIN Staszak, op Prior of the Dominicans - Jerusalem "We were born in the same era, in the thirteenth century and the two orders originate from the same poverty movement, with different ways of living and preaching the Gospel." Currently, there are about 14,000 Franciscans around the world, spread over 100 countries. In the Holy Land, Franciscans have the task of guarding the holy places and support local Christians who are a minority. It all started when Francis went to the Middle East on a pilgrimage in the thirteenth century. Here, he began a dialogue with the Sultan who ruled the Holy Land at the time, thus facilitating the foundation of this mission. Fr. FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "Eight centuries later, we are here as a brotherhood of friars who seek to live in peace with each other and with the world, as well as with society and with the surrounding environment. We seek to serve in the holy places, in the parishes, in the schools of the Holy Land, in the sanctuaries and also in many social works.” The devotion of the local Christians is expressed in gratitude for the fingerprints that Francis left on this earth. DIANA KATTAN Local Christian Woman "I was a child when St. Francis came into my life . I used to come to Mass with my family the day of Saint Francis. At that time I did not understand how important it was, but then I grew up and learned more about his life, his humility, his desire to serve. Everyone here in the Holy Land knows the Franciscans, everyone knows what Franciscans do around the world and what they do here."