St. Francis Pilgrimages

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St. Francis Pilgrimages

St. Francis Pilgrimages organizes and accompanies pilgrimages to Italy, the Holy Land, and elsewhere. In the spirit of St.

Francis of Assisi, each pilgrimage focuses on spirituality through immersion in the culture, prayer, sacraments, reflections, encounters with local people, fellowship, and deep knowledge of each place. People regularly tell us that our pilgrimages are transformative, experiential, and spiritual. Itineraries in Italy include familiar places like Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Loreto, San Giovanni R

otondo, Orvieto, Lanciano, and more, but we also take you to the special hidden places, known only to locals, away from the crowds.

07/05/2026

Spent three days in Bologna. Made a video. Enjoy!

Journey with Bret in Italy into the spiritual heart of Bologna — one of Italy’s most overlooked pilgrimage cities. In this video, we explore the city's saint...

30/04/2026

For anyone looking for one of the best classic biographies on St. Francis of Assisi, I highly recommend this one by Danish convert, Johannes Jørgensen. Published originally in 1911, I just republished it, as it is now in the public domain.

Great reading--or good for gifts, especially since 2026 is the Year of St. Francis and eighth centenary of his death.

(Available in paperback and ebook.)

Description:
One of the most celebrated biographies of Saint Francis of Assisi was written not in the Middle Ages, but in the early twentieth century by a man whose own life had become a search for meaning. Johannes Jørgensen was a restless poet, pilgrim, and man of letters from Denmark who moved through the radical intellectual circles of Copenhagen before encountering Francis. That discovery drew him beyond his Lutheran upbringing, out of the uncertainties and angst of modernism, and ultimately into the Catholic Church. From that personal journey came a biography marked by literary brilliance, historical depth, and deep spiritual sympathy. The result is a luminous and unforgettable portrait of the saint from Assisi.

First published to wide acclaim, this classic work has long been regarded as one of the finest biographies ever written on Saint Francis of Assisi. With the eye of a poet and the discipline of a historian, Jørgensen draws readers into the dramatic world of medieval Italy and the astonishing conversion of the young merchant’s son who became the Poor Man of Assisi. Here is Francis in full humanity: joyful and severe, tender and radical, contemplative and courageous.

Readers will encounter the decisive moments of his life:
-the call before the crucifix of San Damiano
-his embrace of Lady Poverty
-the founding of the Franciscan brotherhood
-his love for creation and all creatures
-his meeting with the Sultan during the Crusades
-the reception of the sacred stigmata on La Verna

More than a historical account, this book reveals why Francis still captivates believers, seekers, and readers of every age. His witness speaks powerfully to a modern world marked by anxiety, materialism, and division.

This new edition has been carefully prepared for contemporary readers, with editorial notes, corrected text, and helpful annotations that illuminate historical references, places, and sources. This edition is the definitive modern annotated edition of Johannes Jørgensen’s masterpiece on Saint Francis of Assisi.

Ideal for readers of Christian biography, Catholic spirituality, medieval history, and anyone searching for a life of lasting meaning, peace, and joy.

One of the most celebrated biographies of Saint Francis of Assisi was written not in the Middle Ages, but in the early twentieth century by a man whose own life had become a search for meaning. Johannes Jørgensen was a restless poet, pilgrim, and man of letters from Denmark who moved through the .....

17/04/2026

I recently finished a book I’ve been working on: "From Chaos to Peace: Finding Purpose and Inner Calm Through the Wisdom of St. Francis."

I suppose it's clear why I wrote it. With all the constant wars, tension, and unrest around the world, I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting and praying about peace, and what it really means.

My book is not about peace as an absence of conflict, but what happens interiorly. It's the peace Christ was referring to when he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27).

St. Francis is often called the saint of peace par excellence. Though he lived in a very different time, in many ways his era was similar in that it was marked by conflict and instability. Before his conversion, he even took part in battles himself.

And yet, after Francis' experience with God, his life went in a completely different direction. He became a man of peace. The world around him didn’t suddenly change—but he did.

The peace he received was not of this world. It was a gift of the Holy Spirit. Using the life of Francis as a model, I show how this kind of peace is possible for us too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX987N5N

(Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.)

We live in an age marked by noise, distraction, and unrest. Many people experience a nagging, persistent question beneath the surface of daily life: “Where am I going in all this—and how do I find peace within this world?” Eight centuries ago, a young man from Assisi faced a different kind of ...

17/03/2026

If you're curious about what happened/happens in Medjugorje, check out my video:

I traveled to Medjugorje, one of the most fascinating—and controversial—pilgrimage sites in the world.In 1981, six children between the ages of ten and sixte...

02/03/2026

I just published a guidebook on all the Franciscan sites in and around Assisi. "Following Francis and Clare: A Complete Pilgrim’s Guide to Assisi, La Verna, and the Rieti Valley".

For anyone going on pilgrimage or retreat to Assisi, this book was written for you. (It's in ebook and paperback.)

(From the description on Amazon:)
For centuries, pilgrims have journeyed to Assisi, long considered the spiritual heart of Italy. They continue to come by the millions to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare—and in doing so, many discover peace, renewal, and a deeper encounter with God. Assisi belongs not only to Italians or Catholics; people of every nation and background have found a unique tranquility in this timeless place.

Following Francis and Clare is the most comprehensive pilgrim's guide to Assisi and the Franciscan places in central Italy. Drawing on more than two decades of experience leading pilgrims through the sacred sites of Assisi and central Italy, author Bret Thoman brings life experiences and his own religious vocation to this book. A member of the Secular Franciscan Order since 2003, with academic formation in Italian studies and Franciscan spirituality, every page is filled with historical knowledge and spiritual insight.

This guide leads readers through the most important sites connected to the lives of Francis and Clare, including:
-The sacred sites of Assisi connected to the lives of Francis and Clare
-Mount Subasio and the Spoleto Valley
-La Verna — the mountain sanctuary where St. Francis received the stigmata
-The four Franciscan hermitages of the Rieti Valley

Each section provides historical background, photographs, and spiritual reflections for every site. More than a travel manual, this book is written to help readers enter into the heart of the Franciscan tradition that shaped these two saints. Reflection questions are included to deepen the pilgrim’s experience.

Whether you are planning a pilgrimage or retreat in Assisi, or seeking inspiration from home, this guide invites you to encounter not only the history of Francis and Clare, but the living spirituality that continues to animate their birth city.

For centuries, pilgrims have journeyed to Assisi, long considered the spiritual heart of Italy. They continue to come by the millions to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare—and in doing so, many discover peace, renewal, and a deeper encounter with God. Assisi belongs not only to It....

13/01/2026

Very exciting!!! Pope Leo proclaims 2026 a Jubilee Year in honor of the Eighth Centenary of the Transitus (passage to Heven) of St. Francis of Assisi.

It is with joy that we announce the promulgation of the Decree establishing a special Jubilee Year in commemoration of the Eighth Centenary of the passage of St...

07/01/2026

I enjoyed Trent so much, I made a video of my time there. More than about just the Council of Trent!

From the description:
In this episode of Bret in Italy, we walk the streets of Trento — the mountain city best known as the home of the Council of Trent (1545–1563). Why was this borderland city chosen? What happened at the Council? Where did the sessions take place? And why does it still matter for the Catholic Church today?

Join me as we explore Trent’s unique history: Germanic roots, medieval prince-bishops, centuries under Austrian rule, and the shifting borders after World War I. Trento has always been a crossroads — political, cultural, and spiritual — and this is exactly why it was chosen to confront the greatest crisis in the second millennium of Church history.

Over 18 turbulent years, through wars, plagues, and fierce debate, The Council met primarily at Santa Maria Maggiore and celebrated major liturgies in the Cathedral of San Vigilio.

The Council of Trent took place throughout 18 turbulent years. War, plague, politics, and intense debate constantly interrupted the work. Meeting primarily in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and celebrating solemn liturgies at the Cathedral of San Vigilio, the council sought to respond to the Protestant Reformation by clarifying Catholic teaching. The council clarified doctrine, reformed clergy discipline, strengthened catechesis, shaped seminary training, and articulated teaching on the sacraments, the Mass, and the life of faith. A lasting result was the standardization of the Roman liturgy—known as the Tridentine Mass (from the Latin name of the city Tridentum) — which remained the norm until the reforms after Vatican II.
From Trent we connect to the two subsequent councils:
• Vatican I (1869–1870) — faith and reason, papal infallibility, interrupted by war.
• Vatican II (1962–1965) — not a rejection of Trent, but a renewal for proclaiming the same faith in a modern world.

These three councils reveal a continuity. The history of the Church is one that wrestles, reforms, and learns — always guided, mysteriously and patiently, by the Holy Spirit. From Trent, to Vatican I, to Vatican II, the Church continues to grow into the truth she has always professed: Jesus Christ is Lord, He remains with His Church, and the faithful are called to holiness and to proclaim this message to the whole world.

Join me as I walk the streets of Trento, visit the key sites of the Council, and discover how geography, politics, and faith converged here to shape Catholic history.

In this episode of Bret in Italy, we walk the streets of Trento — the mountain city best known as the home of the Council of Trent (1545–1563). Why was this ...

09/12/2025

My video on the Translation of the Holy House of Loreto.

Loreto is a beautiful hill town overlooking the Adriatic Sea on Italy’s eastern coast in the Marches. For well over seven centuries, it has been known as an ...

22/10/2025

Want to see a mysterious image of the holy face of Jesus?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fKwHtLqhNlg&fbclid=IwVERTSANlvg5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHtoYNSzDHF2G11OGOUPoixvgFXZ7eMvIIE82W_RtYVCtul-hcoyMpDHTTjvt_aem_snjS6gOKliV_o7yPM_EUDg

On the outskirts of Manoppello, a mountain village in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, is a Capuchin church housing a mysterious icon reputed to be the...

24/09/2025

Who is Padre Pio, you ask? Well, I get into that, and why I have a devotion to him, here:

Many people have heard of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968). Perhaps they know he had received the stigmata. Or he could bilocate. Or he appeared to peopl...

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