Transitus, or How Franciscan Stories Show the Way to the Mystery: A Narrative Description of the "Deaths" or Ends in Early Franciscan Stories
In 2026, the Franciscan Orders will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi. From reading the stories of the early Franciscans, it seems that Francis considered death to be an integral part of life. After deciding to follow in Christ’s footsteps, he said that he considered...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
NTT
Year: 2025, Volume: 79, Issue: 4, Pages: 371-388 |
| Further subjects: | B
Death
B Mystery B Narrative analysis B Franciscan Spirituality |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In 2026, the Franciscan Orders will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi. From reading the stories of the early Franciscans, it seems that Francis considered death to be an integral part of life. After deciding to follow in Christ’s footsteps, he said that he considered himself "dead and buried to the world." When he overheard discussions about his leadership, he told his brothers, "From now on, I am dead to you." Towards the end of his life, he poetically praised "our sister bodily death," and when he died, he was sanctified. Narrative analysis of stories about the end of one form of life and the beginning of another reveals that Francis did not view his own mortality as something to be overcome, but rather as a gateway to life’s mysterious dimension. However, the same analysis reveals that the early brotherhood eventually followed a different path, leading them into the realm of secrecy. In our days, we can decide how to approach the end of a life, and whether this decision will lead us into the closedness of secrecy or in the openness of mystery. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-3268 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: NTT
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.5117/NTT2025.4.005.SPEE |
