Feast of the Impression of the Stigmata of San Francesco d’Assisi

San Francesco d'Assisi, ora pro nobis

September 17th is the Feast of the Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi. By the divine grace of God, the likeness of Christ’s sacred wounds by the Crucifixion were impressed upon the saint’s hands, feet and side during the apparition of a crucified seraph with six shining wings on Mount Alvernia in 1224. In celebration, we're posting a Prayer for the Feast of the Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi. The accompanying photo of San Francesco d’Assisi bearing the stigmata was taken at St. Agnes Church (143 East 43rd St.) in Midtown Manhattan. Evviva San Francesco d'Assisi!

Prayer for the Feast of the Impression of the Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi

Standard-bearer of Christ and of his Church, we would fain, with the Apostle and with thee, glory in nothing save the Cross of Our Lord Jesus. We would fain bear in our souls the sacred Stigmata, which adorned thy holy body. To him whose whole ambition is to return love for love, every suffering is a gain, persecution has no terrors; for the effect of persecutions and sufferings is to assimilate him, together with his mother the Church, to Christ persecuted, scourged and crucified. It is with our whole hearts that we pray, with the Church: “O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, when the world was growing cold, didst renew the sacred marks of thy Passion in the flesh of the most blessed Francis, to inflame our hearts with the fire of thy love; mercifully grant, that by his merits and prayers we may always carry the cross, and bring forth worthy fruits of penance. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.