By Father Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap.

Today, September 17th, the Franciscan orders of sisters, brothers, and priests celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata - the five wounds of Christ in his hands, feet, and side.

The first account of this event is found in Thomas of Celano's First Life of St. Francis.

While he was staying in the hermitage called La Verna, two years prior to the time that he returned his soul to heaven, he saw in a divine vision a man, having six wings like a Seraph, standing over him, arms extended and feet joined, affixed on a cross. Two of his wings were raised up, two were stretched out over his head as if for flight, and two covered his whole body. When the blessed servant of the Most High saw these things, he was filled with the greatest awe, but could not decide what this vision meant for him.

Francis' vision testifies that what he saw was of divine origin and not some human, psychological illusion. Moreover, Celano's account alludes to three Scripture passages. The first is where Jesus speaks of his being lifted up on the Cross and that those who believe in him will have eternal life. (John 3:13-17) The second refers to the Old Testament account that prefigures Jesus being lifted up. Moses made "a fiery serpent," and all who looked upon it were healed. (Numbers 21:8) The third refers to Isaiah's vision in the temple. "Above him stood the seraphim; each with six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.'" (Isaiah 6:1-3)

What Francis saw was the risen crucified Jesus lifted up, the fiery serpent who heals from sin all who believe in him. Moreover, and above all, Francis beheld the crucified Jesus portrayed as a glorious seraph with six wings extended. Francis was in the presence of the all-holy God. The earthly Francis was assumed into the heavenly temple wherein all cry out, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts."

According to Celano, while in prayerful contemplation of this vision, the marks of the nails in his hands and the wound in his side began to emerge on the body of Francis: "Just as he had seen them a little while earlier on the crucified man hovering over him." Francis was now conformed into the likeness of the crucified Jesus Christ. The stigmata testified that Francis was a new creation in Christ. The old Francis had died, and the new cruciform Francis was born.

Normally, it is assumed that Francis' reception of the stigmata was something that was done to him by an exterior cause. Although Francis did have a vision of the crucified Christ portrayed as a fiery seraph, the conforming act did not come from outside of him, but it came from within Francis himself.

Thus, the reality was that what was invisible within Francis, his invisible conformity to the likeness of Christ crucified, became visible through the stigmata. St. Bonaventure emphasizes that the cumulative effect of Francis's virtuous life, in all its various facets, culminated in the stigmata.

This blessed man certainly appeared worthy to be marked with this singular privilege since his whole endeavor, both public and private, centered around the cross of the Lord. What else than his wonderful gentleness, the austerity of his life, his profound humility, his prompt obedience, his extreme poverty, his unimpaired chastity, what else than the bitterness of his compunction, his flow of tears, his heartfelt compassion, his zeal for emulation, his desire for martyrdom, his outstanding charity, and finally the privilege of the many virtues that made him Christ-like: what else stood out in him than these similarities to Christ, the preparation for the sacred stigmata? For this reason, the whole course of his life, from the time of his conversion, was adorned with the remarkable mysteries of the Cross of Christ. Finally, at the sight of...