Canonization of Francis of Assisi

Timeline

1. 1226–1227Assisi · UmbriaSt. Francis died at Portiuncula near Assisi; Franciscan friars and the public quickly formed veneration and pilgrimage at his tomb, and the papacy began taking note of his holy reputation and a potential canonization process.
2. 1228Rome · LazioPope Gregory IX (formerly a cardinal of the Franciscan Order) decided to expedite the canonization investigation, shortening the usual waiting period, securing official recognition for the Franciscans, and responding to the growing wave of veneration across Europe.
3. 1228St. Peter's Basilica, Rome · RomeGregory IX formally declared St. Francis a saint in St. Peter's Basilica, making it one of the fastest canonizations of the Middle Ages and marking the Franciscan Order's elevation from a nascent reform movement to a holy tradition officially recognized by the papacy.