Skip to main content

Secondary sourceDocument3 May 1925

Rite expiatis

Pope Pius XI · 3 May 1925

A 1926 papal encyclical by Pope Pius XI marking the 700th anniversary of Francis of Assisi's death.

A papal document from 700 years after Francis's death, showing his lasting importance to the Catholic Church.

Ask Saint Francis about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Title page of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Annus XVIII, Vol. XVIII, 3 May 1926, showing the encyclical Litterae Encyclicae of Pius XI, 'Rite expiatis', on the seventh centenary of St Francis of Assisi's death, with Latin opening text.
Pope Pius XI, Rite expiatis, published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 1926.

About this source

What it is

This is the title page of an encyclical, a formal letter from the Pope, called Rite expiatis, issued by Pope Pius XI. It was published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official record of papal documents, to mark the seventh centenary of the death of Francis of Assisi.

Why it matters

Written nearly 700 years after Francis died, this document is a secondary source that shows how the Catholic Church in the 20th century viewed and promoted his legacy. It reveals how a medieval saint continued to matter to church leadership long after his lifetime, and how anniversaries were used to renew devotion to him.

Look closer

  • Why might a Pope choose to write a whole document marking the anniversary of someone's death?
  • What does the formal Latin title and official publication tell you about who this document was meant for?
  • How might the Church's view of Francis in the 1920s differ from how people understood him in his own time?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Francis on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Saint Francis sources

Meet the AI Saint Francis →
Manuscript page in Latin with black gothic script and red initial letter M and red-highlighted lines, with handwritten marginal notes on the right. The text includes 'Altissimu onnipotente bon signore' and 'Laudes creaturarum', consistent with the Canticle of the Sun.Book

Primary source

Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi · 1226

Photograph of a small, aged parchment sheet sealed in a metal-framed case. It has faded brown ink text in Latin with red headings, a large hand-drawn red and brown Tau cross with a figure-like sketch, and a few lines of writing at the bottom.Document

Primary source

Chartula fratri Leonis

Francis of Assisi · 1224

Book

Secondary source

First Life of Saint Francis

Thomas of Celano · 1230

Gold-background panel painting in a gabled wooden frame. A standing robed friar with a halo holds a book and raises one hand, flanked by two angels above. Smaller framed scenes in the side panels show his life events in colorful architecture.Painting

Secondary source

Saint Francis of Assisi and Scenes of His Life

Bonaventura Berlinghieri · 1235

Aerial view of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on a hilltop, with its pink-toned stone walls, a tall bell tower, and a large sloping retaining wall. A parking area and winding road are below, with green valley and hills in the distance under a cloudy sky.Artifact

Secondary source

Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

begun 1228

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Saint Francis now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions