Visit the chapel that changed the world: the Portiuncula in Assisi
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- Oct 30
- 3 min read
The story of the Portiuncula
About 800 years ago, a young man rushed through a wooded meadow below the city perched above on a soft mountainside. He'd been to the tiny, ancient chapel so many times, his whole body had memorized where to duck tree branches and step around rocks. His face blazed with purpose, but the rest of him? Francis of Assisi was totally naked.
Francis had just left his own father dumbfounded and furious in the city center above, holding the bundle of clothes Francis had stripped off as he declared, "I will rely only on God." The little chapel in the valley had been there for centuries, and Francis had prayed there often recently, hungry for his vocation, his mission. As Francis looked around now at the crumbling stones, he decided this would be his new home. Over the following days, the merchant's son built a rustic hut next to chapel, found some old cloth to cover himself, and began begging for his needs.
That chapel is known now, as it was then, as the Portiuncula: "the little portion." It remains in the very same meadow. The original owners, a Benedictine order, donated the chapel to Francis to become the first monastery of his brand new order. The Portiuncula is where Francis received Clare's vows and tonsured her hair. It's also where a dying Francis asked to be laid on the same ground where he had first found his calling.
A pilgrimage to the Portiuncula
The Portiuncula measures only180 square feet, but pilgrims flocked there anyway to pray where Francis and Clare had prayed. Eventually, the exploding throngs needed more space. In 1569, the magnificent St Mary of the Angels was constructed around the original chapel. The Portiuncula is now enclosed at the basilica's very heart. Pilgrims can also receive a plenary indulgence when they visit the Portiuncula.
What to see in the Portiuncula
The Papal Basilica of St Mary of the Angels (Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli) is in the valley below Assisi, walkable from the Assisi train station. This makes the logical first stop when you make pilgrimage.
The altar inside the Portiuncula is the one that St Clare clung to, unmovable, when her family tried to drag her away from following Francis.
Note the beautiful frescoes outside and inside the tiny chapel—these depict Francis’ life and were added by various artists over the centuries.
The basilica is also breathtakingly beautiful and rich with Franciscan history.
The Chapel of the Transit marks the spot where Francis died in 1226.
The Rose Garden is said to have first bloomed after Francis’s act of penance.
Franciscan Museum displays relics and artifacts from early friars and the creche, a display that Francis essentially “invented."
The basilica also houses Assisi’s best gift shop. Avoid the souvenir kiosks lining the basilica plaza and the myriad souvenir shops in the city above. I’d devote decent time to this gift shop, where you can buy innumerable Franciscan items, religious articles, ceramic crafts, and local monastic products like excellent fragrances, oils, body care items, and food products. Many of the fragranced items are made with roses from the basilica garden.
Pro tip: They also sell great baseball caps!
P.S. St Carlo Acustis is also buried in Assisi, so don't miss his tomb while you're here!
How to visit the Portiuncula
Location: Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, Italy
Hours: 7:30 - 12:30; 2:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Check Mass, prayer, rosary, and Confession times here.
Admission: Free
Nearest transportation: Assisi train station
Buses run up to the city from the basilica plaza every 10 to 15 minutes.
Recommended time: 1-2 hours, including time for other points of interest in the basilica (add another hour or two if you want visit the incredible gift shop)
Recommended ages: All, including children
When to go: The basilica is usually full through the day, but the light is magic in early morning or late afternoon.
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