Pope Francis' new prayer for the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi:

Pope Francis' new prayer for the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi:

Saint Francis,

man wounded by love, Crucified in body and in spirit,

we look to you, decorated with the holy stigmata, to learn how to love the Lord Jesus and our brothers and sisters with your love, with your passion.

With you, it is easier to contemplate and follow Christ, poor and Crucified. Give us, Francis, the freshness of your faith, the certainty of your hope, the gentleness of your charity.

Intercede for us, so that it may be sweet for us to bear the burdens of life, and in trials, we may experience
the tenderness of the Father and the balm of the Spirit.

May our wounds be healed by the Heart of Christ, to become, like you, witnesses of His mercy, which continues to heal and renew the life of those who seek Him with a sincere heart.

O Francis, made to resemble the Crucified One, let your stigmata be for us and for the world resplendent signs of life and resurrection, to show new ways of peace and reconciliation. 

Amen.

The Pope recited the prayer, which will be prayed at the Chapel of the Stigmata in Verna, as he met Friday [April 5, 2024]with Franciscan Friars Minor of La Verna and the Tuscan Province in Italy.

He blessed the Franciscans present with a relic of St. Francis' blood.