Pope Francis will in August visit the ancient church of Portiuncola near Assisi, where his namesake St Francis died in 1226, Assisi's bishop Domenico Sorrentino and other Catholic officials announced on Monday.
Sorrentino said Francis will visit Portiuncola on 4 August, to mark the 800th anniversary of the Feast of Pardon, when pilgrims to Franciscan churches can receive plenary indulgences cancelling all earthly punishments for sins that have already been forgiven.
Francis will pray and make an address to those present during a private pilgrimage to Assisi's Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, the head of the Catholic Church's evangelising body, Rino Fisichella said on Monday.
Originally the plenary indulgences could only be received in the chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, but this was later extended to the Portiuncola and to all churches in the parish of Assisi.
At the end of his life, St Francis asked to be brought to the Portiuncola, and died in his cell on 3 October 1226, just metres from the church which he had earlier restored and urged his followers to cherish.
The Portiuncola is located about 4 kilometres from Assisi.
