If you're an architecture buff, take some time to check out the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, which was constructed beginning in 1869. Located a block east of the Santa Fe Plaza ...

When I first saw Giotto’s fresco cycle “The Legend of St. Francis” in the upper church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi—a small Italian town two hours from Rome by train—I ...

A votive statue of Italy's patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, left, is on display among other religious items at a shop in Assisi, Italy, Saturday, March 1, 2025.

In 1182, St. Francis was born to a wealthy family in Assisi, which rises above a fertile valley in central Italy. Praying in front of a crucifix, he is said to have heard a call to reform the church.