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OFM & OFS Celebrate the Franciscan Centenaries (1223-2023)

Lay Franciscans (Order of Franciscan Secular) and Franciscan Religious (Order of Friars Minor) came together in St. Sebastian’s Church, Madhavaram-Chennai on 16 April 2023 to inaugurate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the Papal approval of the Rule for his Order and also of the first Crib that he made while celebrating Christmas in Greccio in the year 1223. The Franciscans all over the world are excited about these two profound centenaries and are eager to celebrate these anniversaries with year-long programmes.

As St. Sebastian’s Parish was concluding its patron’s feast, this Franciscan Parish celebrated these centenaries together with its parishioners and devotees of St. Sebastian. The OFS members who belong to the Lay Movement founded by St. Francis of Assisi highlighted the significance of the event through a meaningful prayer service.

The Representations of St. Francis getting the Rule approved by the Pope and of the celebration of Christmas with a Crib were brought in a procession for the gathering to behold and be inspired. Fr. Xavier Durairaj OFM, Minister Provincial, who presided over the ceremony spoke briefly above these two events inviting the faithful to embrace the life vision of St. Francis as presented in the Rule and to embrace the Incarnation Spirituality as St. Francis did in Greccio. Fr. Michael Anand, the Parish Priest, has planned to hold different programmes throughout the year commemorating these events which will conclude with the grand ceremony on .  

 

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