Our Lady of Angels, the Purse, and Franciscan Devotion

# Our Lady of the Angels: The Origin of the TitleThe title “Our Lady of the Angels” (in Italian: Santa Maria degli Angeli) refers to a small basilica located in the plain below Assisi, Italy, which encloses the Porciúncula, a tiny stone chapel that Saint Francis of Assisi restored with his own hands around 1208-1211, and where he founded the Order of Friars Minor. The name “Porciúncula” (from Latin Portiuncula, meaning “small part [of land]”) indicates the minuscule plot where the chapel stood. Devotion to Our Lady of the Angels associates Mary with the angelic presence that, according to Franciscan chronicles, accompanied this sacred place.## Saint Francis and the PorciúnculaSaint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) received the Porciúncula from the Benedictines of Subasio as a perpetual loan without rent payment, insisted on symbolically paying a basket of fish annually to avoid owning anything in violation of his poverty vow. In the Porciúncula, Francis heard the Gospel that defined his mission (Mt 10:7-10). Here, he welcomed Saint Clare of Assisi in 1211 and founded the second Franciscan branch (Clarissas). It was also here that he passed away on October 3, 1226, asking to be laid on bare earth as a sign of radical poverty. This place is the spiritual heart of Franciscans.## The Forgiveness of Assisi (Full Indulgence)Franciscan tradition narrates that Francis received from Christ, through the intercession of Mary and the Angels, the grace of a full indulgence for all who visited the Porciúncula under the usual conditions (confession, communion, prayer). This indulgence, known as the “Forgiveness of Assisi” or “Indulgence of the Porciúncula,” was confirmed by Pope Honorius III in 1216 (according to Franciscan tradition) and is still celebrated annually on August 2, the feast day of Our Lady of the Angels. The indulgence can be gained in all Franciscan churches and parishes worldwide on August 2.## The Basilica of Santa Maria degli AngeliTo protect and honor the Porciúncula, Pope Pius V ordered the construction of a large basilica over it, inaugurated in 1569. The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, located in the plain of Assisi, is one of the largest churches in the world and contains the intact Porciúncula within its interior. The original chapel can be visited by pilgrims from around the globe. An image of Our Lady crowned adorns the altar of the Porciúncula. In 1832, an earthquake damaged the basilica, which was later restored. The exterior dome and neoclassical facade are part of the 19th-century reconstruction.## Our Lady of the Angels in the Lusophone WorldThe title “Our Lady of the Angels” spread throughout the Franciscan world and appears in numerous parishes and locations in Portuguese-speaking countries. In Portugal, the city of Loulé (Algarve) is famous for its procession of Our Lady of the Angels. In Brazil, the city of Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais) is renowned for its sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels. The devotion connects with the Queen of Angels from the Loretto Rosary and the apocalyptic vision in Rev 12, where the Woman dressed in the sun is surrounded by celestial presence.Deepen your studies: explore Mariology, Marian apparitions, Queen of Angels, Marian theology, and the Master’s in Mariology.

Check out our comprehensive guide to Catholic Angelology.