St. Francis Procession

We warmly invite visitors who want to relive and experience the Middle Ages to join the Procession of St. Francis of Assisi. The procession begins and ends at the Friars Minor monastery. The start time is listed in the daily program.

You can play a role in this procession. In no time at all, you’ll look just like someone from the Middle Ages. We’re looking for pennant bearers, incense bearers, altar servers (children), friars (m), guild representatives (m/f), and, last but not least, pets. After the procession, every participant will receive a small medieval treat.

For more information about the Minderbroeders Choir, visit www.minderbroederskoor.nl

Vespers of St. Francis

This year, for the first time, the Friars Minor will sing the Vespers of St. Francis. At 2:45 p.m., they will sing in the refectory of the monastery in Archeon. The Vespers consist of rhyming antiphons about his life, composed around 1235 by Friar Julian of Speyer. Julian was a musically gifted follower of Saint Francis, the author of the Canticle of the Sun.

Background Information

St. Francis (A.D. 1181/82–1226) is best known for his love of nature: the sun, moon, and stars; the wind, water, and fire; the earth with its mountains, people, and animals. It’s no coincidence that we celebrate World Animal Day on his feast day, October 4. The story of birds coming to listen to his sermon is very well known. At Archeon, we’ve moved the celebration to the nearest Sunday.

Francis was a wealthy young man, the son of a cloth merchant. He wanted to become a knight. He set out with other warriors from Assisi to fight the neighboring city of Perugia. He was taken prisoner until he was ransomed a year later. Later, they set out again to fight Perugia. But along the way, he chooses to turn back. He kisses a leper. For your neighbor is the image of God. If you do good to your neighbor(s), you do good to God. Don’t worry: trust in God. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will take care of you. He chooses to have no possessions and to be of service to his neighbor.

While praying before the cross in the church of San Damiano, he felt called by God to restore His Church. At first, he set to work with a hammer, lime, and wood. Later, he realized that from that moment on, the best way to restore the Catholic Church was to live a life of poverty.

Within a short time, he had thousands of followers who, with the Pope’s permission, spread out in all directions to tell people about God and to help their fellow human beings. Especially in the growing commercial cities, the barefoot, wandering friars were asked to stay and were offered shelter in a cellar, barn, or private home. Later, a monastery and a church were built for them. These were not their property. In times of need, they went out begging to obtain food and drink.

The followers of Francis are called Friars Minor. In their words and deeds, they align themselves with the humble members of society. A striking example of this is Pope Francis.

The medieval town of Gravendam is home to a Friars Minor monastery. The friars seek to give you a sense of life in the monastery through prayer (singing), pastoral care, education, and meals.

In the friars’ kitchen hangs a copy of the Cross of San Damiano. It was painted by icon painter Jan de Frankrijker, who is a friar at the monastery. Today, this cross will be carried in a festive procession through our town of Gravendam. The original cross is located in a chapel of the Church of St. Clare in Assisi.

Free admission with the Museum Card and Friends Lottery VIP Card.
Program subject to change.

Reserve your visit here.