San Francesco, basilica di. – IL CONTESTO ASSISANO

The construction of the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi resulted from the interaction between local civic forces, the papacy, and the Franciscan Order. Friar Elias of Assisi played a central mediating role, linking papal authority, the Order, and the city’s ruling elite. Although conceived as a monument of universal significance, the basilica remained deeply rooted in Assisi’s social and religious landscape. Its rapid construction contrasted with the slower progress of other local ecclesiastical projects, reflecting shifting power balances. The translation of Francis’s relics revealed tensions among papal ambitions, civic identity, and internal divisions within the Franciscan Order.