Jerusalem, exhibition “I, Brother Francis” inaugurated

On the evening of Thursday, May 7, the exhibition “I, Brother Francis. 800 Years of a Great Adventure” was inaugurated in Jerusalem. The exhibition is hosted in the Curia Hall of the Monastery of Saint Saviour, in the heart of the Holy City, as part of the initiatives of the Franciscan Jubilee marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Originally created for the forty-sixth edition of the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini, the exhibition has now been brought to Jerusalem by the Custody of the Holy Land in order to offer visitors a renewed perspective on the figure of the Poor Man of Assisi. Rather than being a simple art exhibition dedicated to Saint Francis, it is conceived as a journey allowing visitors to encounter his human and spiritual experience through his own words and through a rediscovery of the values of peace, fraternity, poverty, and love that shaped his life.

The inauguration was attended by numerous religious men and women, lay people, and members of the diplomatic community living in Jerusalem, including the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, and the Consul General of Italy, Domenico Bellato. The evening opened with a performance by the Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land, followed by remarks from the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, who emphasized the enduring relevance of Francis’ witness even 800 years after his death.

Fr. Enrico Maiorano and Fr. Francesco Ravaioli, belonging to two different Franciscan families, then offered reflections on Franciscan spirituality, focusing especially on the dimensions of poverty, fraternity, and humility.

In his speech, Fr. Enrico Maiorano recalled how Francis continues to challenge contemporary humanity even today: «For 800 years Francis has reminded us that the logic of possession and power is not only a moral mistake, but above all a narrow horizon that condemns us to unhappiness and betrays our very humanity».

The Capuchin friar also connected Francis’ message to the current situation in the Holy Land: «As sons and daughters of Francis, we are called to dare forgiveness — even as a public and courageous choice, a strategy of peace for the good of our society».

Particularly meaningful was also the video message by Fr. Luca Di Pasquale, who explained the origins of the exhibition. The project was born from the desire to move beyond the many labels often associated with Saint Francis — from environmentalist to friend of animals — in order instead to restore the depth of his human and Christian experience. For this reason, the exhibition allows Francis himself to speak directly through his Testament, the text he entrusted to his brothers shortly before his death, in which he retraces his encounter with the poor, the marginalized, and therefore with God.

The exhibition thus offers not only a historical reconstruction, but a genuine path toward a personal encounter with Francis. Through panels, texts, and multilingual materials, visitors are guided through a story that continues to speak powerfully to the present day, especially in a symbolic and wounded place such as Jerusalem.

Within the halls of the Curia of the Monastery of Saint Saviour, among religious from different countries, pilgrims, and residents of the city, the message of the Saint of Assisi once again appeared extraordinarily relevant: an invitation to fraternity, dialogue, and peace in a world that continues to have a profound need for reconciliation and hope.