Editor’s Note: Here is the fresco by Giotto, of the dream of Pope Innocent III on the vigil of St. Alexis, wherein he saw a poor man stabilize the Lateran Palace, which was, at that time, the Papal residence and Cathedral of the Church of Rome. The next day, in audience, at that same residence, St. Francis of Assisi came to ask the approval of his Rule. And the Pope recognizing him as the man he saw in his vision, gave him verbal approval. This vision is testified to by Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, in his Legenda Maior of Saint Francis, here.

The original fresco is found in the Basilica of St. Francis, at Assisi, Italy, in the upper Church (here).

Innocent III was very devoted to St. Alexis, and c. 1217/18 restored the Basilica of St. Alexis on the Aventine at Rome.

I for my part want to publicly thank Innocent III for his intercession, by which I believe he arranged me to find a place to live in the Hermitage of the Holy Cross 18 months ago. For it is truly an honor to live in the home town of Innocent III, where I reside in Italy. I thought it a curious coincidence when I found the place to use for a hermitage, without any collateral, income or bank account, 3 conditions of contracts for renting throughout Italy.

I attributed it at the time to the intercession of Our Lady of St. Alexis, the icon of Our Lady venerated in his Basilica at Rome (see the Visit from 2020), whom I have besought for such a grace for neigh 18 years. For more on this Icon, see here.

Our Lord from the Cross of St. Damiano, in Assisi, called Saint Francis to “go forth and repair My Church”. This is the mystical and ecclesial vocation of all the sons and daughters of Saint Francis. We do this by dedicating ourselves to living every word of Jesus Christ, promoting peace and coming to the needs of the poor, while living absolute poverty ourselves. At the Hermitage of the Holy Cross, I try to do all three, and there is yet much more to be done.

Pray for me. And pray for those men discerning a vocation to follow Saint Francis.