Eight hundred years of St Francis
In 1226, Francis of Assisi died. The son of a wealthy merchant, who cast his expensive clothes at his father’s feet, chose a life without possessions, in the service of the poorest. Eight centuries later, his ideals of simplicity, peace, brotherhood and care for creation still capture the imagination, far beyond the walls of the monastery.
To mark that anniversary, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a special Jubilee Year, running from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027. The Year of St Francis also comes shortly after the death of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit to hold the Chair of St Peter, who chose his name in honour of the ‘poor man of Assisi’.
Exhibition 'Eight Centuries Less'
In the exhibition Eight Centuries Less, the Jesuit Heritage Foundation sets out to trace the legacy of St Francis in the collections of the Ruusbroec Institute Library (University of Antwerp). Manuscripts, early printed books, devotional prints and archival documents are brought together for the first time. They reveal how Franciscan simplicity and Jesuit spirituality engage in dialogue: Francis’s ‘less’ and the Jesuits’ ‘more’ appear to lead towards the same goal.
Listen to the audio guide
The exhibition’s audio guide (in Dutch) is also available as a podcast. In a single episode, it takes you on a journey through the life of St Francis, from his exuberant youth to the magis of the Jesuits.
A conversation with the curator
For the exhibition, Robrecht Neyrinck delved into the library’s shelves and storerooms. In an interview, he talks about the thinking behind the six zones, about Sister Rumolda’s habit and stigmata – which are on public display for the first time – and about a blinking figurine from a convent in Herentals.
Lecture series on peace, poverty and ecology
St Francis laid the foundations for Franciscan thinking on peace, poverty and care for the earth.
In three in-depth lectures, historians and representatives from civil society place those ideals in their historical context and examine what they have to say to us today.
On peace on 26 November 2026
A joint reading (in Dutch) by Barbara Mertens (TAU) and Bénédicte Kusendila (Pax Christi Flanders)
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A webinar by Neslihan Şenocak (Columbia University)
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and a lecture (in Dutch) by Pascal Debruyne (Odisee University College)
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On caring for the Earth on 17 December 2026
A joint lecture (in Dutch) by Marianne Ritsema van Eck (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Karel Ceule (Broederlijk Delen)
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After each evening lecture, you are welcome to visit the exhibition.
This project is an initiative of the Jesuit Heritage Foundation, a collaboration between the University of Antwerp (Ruusbroec Institute) and UCSIA.
The Jesuit Heritage Foundation
In 2020, the University Centre Saint Ignatius Antwerp (UCSIA) and the University of Antwerp established the Jesuit Heritage Foundation. This public-benefit foundation is dedicated to the academic and societal valorization of the Jesuits’ movable cultural heritage in Antwerp and beyond.
This can take many different forms: academic research, of course, but also bringing that research to a wider audience through lectures, exhibitions and other cultural activities, publications or the development of educational materials.
