Porziuncola, also called Portiuncula (in Latin) or Porzioncula, is a small church in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated about 4 kilometers from Assisi, Umbria (central Italy). It is the place from where the Franciscan movement started.

The name Porziuncola (meaning “small portion of land”) was first mentioned in a document from 1045, now in the archives of the Cathedral of San Rufino, Assisi.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Later developments
3 Decorations of the Porziuncola
4 Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
5 Porziuncola Indulgence
6 Porziuncola in America
7 References
8 External links


[edit] History
According to a legend, the existence of which can be traced back with certainty only to 1645, the little chapel of Porziuncola was erected under Pope Liberius (352-66) by hermits from the Valley of Josaphat, who had brought thither relics from the grave of the Blessed Virgin. The same legend relates that the chapel passed into the possession of St. Benedict in 516. It was known as Our Lady of the Valley of Josaphat or of the Angels—the latter title referring, according to some, to Our Lady's ascent into heaven accompanied by angels (Assumption B.M.V.); a better founded opinion attributes the name to the singing of angels which had been frequently heard there.

This little church was given around 1208 to St. Francis by the Abbot of St. Benedict of Monte Subasio, on condition of making it the mother house of his religious family. It was in bad condition, laying abandoned in a wood of oak trees. He restored it with his own hands.

After a pilgrimage to Rome, where he begged at the church doors for the poor, he said he had had a mystical vision of Jesus Christ in the Church of San Damiano just outside of Assisi, in which the Icon of Christ Crucified came alive and said to him three times, "Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins". He thought this to mean the ruined church in which he was presently praying, and so sold his horse and some cloth from his father's store, to assist the priest there for this purpose.[2][8]

His father Pietro, highly indignant, attempted to change his mind, first with threats and then with beatings. After a final interview in the presence of the bishop, Francis renounced his father and his patrimony, laying aside even the garments he had received from him. For the next couple of months he lived as a beggar in the region of Assisi. Returning to the town for two years this time, he restored several ruined churches, among them the Porziuncola, little chapel of St Mary of the Angels, just outside the town, which later became his favorite abode.

St. Francis obeyed the call of Jesus to live in absolute poverty according to the Missionary Discourse in the Gospel of Matthew 10, 5-15.


The miracle of the Porziuncola
painting by Antonio de Oliveira Bernardes (1698); Cathedral of Évora, PortugalThis little church became the home of St. Francis, and soon of his first disciples. In this church St. Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor, and from that moment it has never been abandoned by the friars.

On Palm Sunday 1211 St. Francis received in this church Clare of Assisi and dedicated her to the Lord.

The General Chapters, the annual meetings of the friars, were held in this church usually during Pentecost (months of May - June).

Feeling his end approaching, St. Francis asked to brought back to the Porziuncola in September 1226. On his death-bed St. Francis recommended the chapel to the faithful protection and care of his brethren. He died, in his cell, not fifteen yards from the church, at sunset on Saturday, 3 October 1226.

However this may be, here or in this neighbourhood was the cradle of the Franciscan Order. After the death of Francis, the spiritual value and the charisma of the Porziuncola became even greater. St. Francis himself pointed out the Portiuncola as a primary source of inspiration and a model for all his followers. Today it still continues to be the most authentic testimony to the life and message of St. Francis.

[edit] Later developments
Concerning the form and plan of the first monastery built near the chapel we have no information, nor is the exact form of the loggia or platforms built round the chapel itself, or of the choir for the brothers built behind it, known. Shortly after 1290, the chapel, which measured only about twenty-two feet by thirteen and a half, became entirely inadequate to accommodate the throngs of pilgrims. The altar piece, an Annunciation, was painted by the priest, Hilarius of Viterbo, in 1393. The monastery was at most the residence, only for a short time, of the ministers-general of the order after St. Francis. In 1415 it first became associated with the Regular Observance, in the care of which it remains to the present day.


Side view of the Porziuncola[edit] Decorations of the Porziuncola
This tiny church is exquisitely decorated by artists from different periods. On the façade, above the entrance, is the fresco by Johann Friedrich Overbeck (1829), depicting St Francis receiving from the Christ and the Virgin the indulgence, known as the “Pardon of Assisi”.This German painter was a member of the Nazarene movement, a group of painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art. At the base of this fresco is a small rectangular fresco with below the Latin words Haec est porta vitae aeternae ("This is the gate to eternal life")


"St. Francis receiving the Pardon of Assisi" by F. OverbeckThe side wall on the right side shows fragments of two frescoes by unknown Umbrian artists. In the 19th century a door was opened in the same wall, to control the flow of pilgrims. On the left side, the wall includes the tombstone of Pietro Cattani, who died on 10 March 1221. (St. Francis was still alive at that moment). At the back, above the entrance, is the fresco Crucifixion by Perugino, painted around 1485. It was badly damaged during the construction of the basilica. The 15th century door is decorated with floral motifs. On top of the Porziuncola stands a small Gothic belfry.

The interior is austere and simple. Some of the rough, squared stones, taken from Mount Subasio, were put in place by the saint himself while repairing this little church. It is decorated in a simple Gothic style with frescoes from the 14th and the 15th century. But the masterpiece is the six-part fresco in the apse of this little church, painted by the priest Ilario da Viterbo (1393):

(in the middle) The Annunciation
(on the right) St Francis throws himself into the thorny brambles
(on the right) St Francis accompanied by two angels
(on top) Apparition of the Christ and the Virgin, accompanied by 60 angels, with St. Francis offering roses
(on the left) St Francis imploring pope Honorius III the confirmation of the indulgence
(on the left) St Francis promulgates the indulgence, accompanied by the bishops of Umbria.
The pavement on the floor is now restored to its original appearance by the restorations following the earthquake of 1997.

[edit] Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
Main article: Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
The buildings which had been gradually added to the shrine were taken down by order of Pius V (1566-1572), except the cell in which St. Francis had died, and were replaced by a large basilica in contemporary style. The new edifice was erected over the cell just mentioned and over the Portiuncula chapel, which is situated immediately under the cupola. The basilica, which has three naves and a circle of chapels extending along the entire length of the aisles, was completed (1569-78) according to the plans of Jacopo Barozzi, best known as Vignola, assisted by Galeazzo Alessi.

In the night of 15 March 1832, the arch of the three naves and of the choir fell in, in consequence of an earthquake, the cupola sporting a big crack. Gregory XVI had all restored in 1836-1840), and on 8 September 1840, the basilica was reconsecrated by Cardinal Lambruschini. By Brief of 11 April 1909, Pius X raised it to a "patriarchal basilica and papal chapel". The high altar was therefore immediately rebuilt at the expense of the Franciscan province of the Holy Cross (also known as the Saxon province), and a papal throne added. Under the bay of the choir, resting against the columns of the cupola, is still preserved the cell in which St. Francis died, while, a little behind the sacristy, is the spot where the saint, during a temptation, is said to have rolled in a briar-bush, which was then changed into thornless roses. During this same night the saint received the Porziuncola Indulgence.

[edit] Porziuncola Indulgence
The Porziuncola Indulgence could at first be gained only in the Porziuncola chapel between the afternoon of 1 August and sunset on 2 August. On 5 August 1480 (or 1481), Pope Sixtus IV extended it to all churches of the first and second orders of St. Francis for Franciscans. On 4 July 1622, this privilege was further extended by Gregory XV to all the faithful, who, after confession and the reception of Holy Communion, visited such churches on the appointed day. On 12 October 1622, Gregory XV granted the same privilege to all the churches of the Capuchins. Pope Urban VIII granted it for all churches of the regular Third Order on 13 January 1643, and Clement X for all churches of the Conventuals on 3 October 1670.

Later popes extended the privilege to all churches pertaining in any way to the Franciscan Order, even to churches in which the Third Order held its meetings (even parish churches, etc.), provided that there was no Franciscan church in the district, and that such a church was distant over an Italian mile (1000 paces). Some districts and countries have been granted special privileges.

While the declarations of the popes have rendered the Porziuncola Indulgence certain and indisputable from the juridico-canonistic standpoint, its historical authenticity (sc. origin from St. Francis) is still a subject of dispute. The controversy arises from the fact that none of the old legends of St. Francis mentions the Indulgence, and no contemporary document or mention of it has down to us. The oldest document dealing with the Indulgence is a notary's deed of 31 October 1277, in which Blessed Benedict of Arezzo, whom St. Francis himself received into the order, testifies that he had been informed by Brother Masseo, a companion of St. Francis, of the granting of the Indulgence by Pope Honorius III at Perugia. Then follow other testimonies, for example, those of Jacob Cappoli concerning Brother Leo, of Oddo of Acquasparta, Peter Zalfani, Peter John Olivi (who wrote a scholastic tract in defence of this indulgence about 1279), John of Laverna, Ubertino da Casale, Francis of Fabriano, whose testimony goes back to the year 1268, and others.

The norms and grants of indulgences were completely reformed by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council in his Apostolic Constitution "Indulgentiarum Doctrina" (1967), and the Portiuncula Indulgence was again confirmed at that time. According to the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, the Catholic faithful may gain a plenary indulgence on 2 August (the Portiuncula) or on such other day as designated by the local ordinary for the advantage of the faithful, under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), by devoutly visiting the parish church, and there reciting at least the Lord's Prayer and the Creed. The Indulgence applies to the cathedral church of the diocese, and to the co-cathedral church (if there is one), even if they are not parochial, and also to quasi-parochial churches. To gain this, as any plenary indulgence, the faithful must be free from any attachment to sin, even venial sin. Where this entire detachment is wanting, the indulgence is partial.[1]

[edit] Porziuncola in America
In the most populous city named after Saint Francis, San Francisco, California, the first exact replica of the Porziuncola Chapel has been built. This project has the full cooperation of the friars in Assisi and is under the patronage of Cardinal William Levada, Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco; George Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco; and Angela Alioto, SFO. The new chapel is a center for pilgrimages and for peace initiatives for the whole United States and for the whole world, and is part of the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi [2] located at 624 Vallejo Street, in the North Beach district of San Francisco.[3] The Knights of saint Francis [4] manage, sustain and protect the Porziuncola Nuova in San Francisco. The knights are a 140 member group of volunteers dedicated to the tenets of Saint Francis.

Additionally, in a reflection of the historical influence that the Franciscans had in the development of the area, the original (Spanish) names of the Los Angeles River and the formal Spanish name of the city of Los Angeles, California both relate to the historical legend described above.

There is also a replica of the Porziuncula at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. Built in 1987 through the efforts of Fr. Samuel Tiesi, TOR, "the Port" features continuous eucharistic adoration, 24/7, while school is in session. During breaks and over summer it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. And now, by Vatican decree, visitors to the Porziuncula can obtain a plenary indulgence on five different days each year: the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Poreiunucula, The Feast of St. Francis, the day of the dedication of the Tomb of the Unborn, on a single day of the visitor's choosing, or at the end of a "holy pilgrimage" to the Porziuncula.[citation needed] The indulgence is granted when the faithful prays for the intentions of the Holy Father—particularly the Our Father and Creed, and has met the "usual conditions" (an interior detachment from sin, a sincere confession, and reception of the Holy Eucharist within 7–10 days of the visit).

[edit] References
^ "Indulgence". Shrine of the Porziuncola. Provincia serafica dei fratri minori dell'Umbria. 2007. porziuncola.org/en/porziuncola_indulgenza.html#porziuncola. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
^ National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
^ Official site of the new Porziuncola project also visit [ angelaalioto.com/project.html]
^ Knights of Saint Francis
[edit] External links
Official site of the Porziuncola
"Portiuncula". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Portiuncula.
This article incorporates text from the entry Portiuncula in Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913, a publication now in the public domain.

Retrieved from "en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porziuncola"

December

Holiday Gift Market
Thursday, December 9 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday, December 10 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 11 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free

Tis the season to be jolly! What better way to celebrate this time of year than to choose unique holiday presents for friends and family from a wide variety of quality artisan gifts. Part of the proceeds from the market will benefit the next restoration project at Mayslake Hall.


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January

Archery for Beginners
Sunday, January 9
11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
7-10 age group
$5
Reservations: December 17 / (630) 933-7248

Wednesday, January 19
11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Active older adults
$5
Reservations: January 3 / (630) 933-7248

Come join a Ranger and learn the basics of Archery at some of our most scenic preserves. You will leave with the confidence to embark on your own adventures. This may be an indoor or outdoor setting based on the weather.

Art Class - Painting with Pastels
by Laverne Bohlin
Fridays, 10 a.m. - Noon
January 14 - February 18 (6 weeks)
$120 HCA members/$145 non-members

In this class, we will learn to represent the landscape in soft pastel using photographs as subject matter. We will also learn to do color thumbnails to solve design problems and discover combinations that surpass photographic color. The emphasis will be on making a pastel painting rather than a drawing. All levels welcome.

Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra presents:
Beautiful Baroque!

Sunday, January 16
3 p.m.
Tickets: $25 general admission /$7 students / $20 groups of 10 or more
Reservations: (630) 941-0202 / elmhurstsymphony.org

This “Baroque Bash” will spotlight the artistry of principle flute Claudia Cryer, violinists Rika Seko and Kate Carter, and rising-star soprano Hannah Dixon in some of the most beguiling music ever to flow from the great J. S. Bach. String lovers will delight in Vivaldi’s well-known Concerto Grosso in D minor. The keyboard talents of Music Director Stephen Alltop will be on display when he joins his ESO colleagues in Bach’s remarkable Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.


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February

First Folio presents
Blithe Spirit
By Noel Coward

February 2 - March 6
$20-$35
Tickets: (630) 986-8067 / firstfolio.org

When Charles Condomine brings his new bride Ruth back to their English country home, his plan is to spend a calm summer working on his new novel. But when the daffy medium Madame Arcati holds a séance, she unwittingly conjures up the spirit of Charles’ first wife Elvira. As Charles and Madame Arcati frantically work to banish the spirit, Ruth becomes increasingly jealous of her ethereal rival and plots the specter’s destruction.

Wonders of Winter

Saturday, February 5
10 a.m. -1 p.m.
Free

Come enjoy family activities such as ice fishing, winter crafts, nature hikes, sleigh rides, Mayslake Hall tours, and s’mores.

Fr. Baar Architecture Lecture
Protecting the Places that Matter
Sponsored by the Landmark Conservancy

Tuesday, February 8
7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Free
Reservations: (630) 206-9566

The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize our communities. Christina Morris, Program Officer with the Midwest Office of the National Trust, will provide an overview of the organization and its programs, and she will discuss how you can protect historic resources in your community.

A docent-guided tour of Mayslake Hall will be offered before the workshop at 6:30 p.m. at $5 /person.

Art Journal Class
By Laura Lein-Svencner

Thursdays, February 10 -28 (4 weeks)
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
$110
Reservations: (630) 206-9566

Visual journaling is much more than your traditional sketch book, it is an inner dialogue of keeping one true to themselves and a place to give permission to be free. This class combines the use of the written word, sketch booking and journaling, forming visual communication, and personal rhythms of true color, clutter and raw emotions. Student will be allowed to relax and play letting their minds spill out onto the page. Weekly lesson working with a large variety of mediums will be introduced helping each student find their own creative voice.

Supply list is available upon registration

Line Dancing
By Susan Shields

Monday: February 14, 28 / March 14 / April 11, 25 / May 9, 23
7 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.
Adults
$10 per class (drop-ins welcome) / $60 for 7 classes
Reservations: (630) 206-9566

Enjoy a fun exercise for all ages, and laugh a lot! Instructor Susan Shields will teach you a variety of line dances. No partner required.

Coyote Tracking
By Carl Strang

February 19
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
9 and up
Free
Reservations: February 1 (630) 206-9581

The plan is to pick up a coyote’s trail and follow it through Mayslake Forest Preserve, interpreting its activities as we go. Conditions may force us to switch to another animal, or to have a more general tracking experience.

Watercolor at Mayslake
by Ann Grill

Tuesday 10 a.m. - Noon
February 22 - March 29 (6 weeks)
$120 HCA members/$145 non-members

Enjoy exploring the many techniques of watercolor in a beautiful, quiet setting at Mayslake Peabody Estate.The class will cover basic watercolor skills and advanced techniques, depending on each student’s skill level. Individual critiques and demonstrations will help each painter hone his skills and discover individual styles. A supply list is available with registration.

Drawing for Adults at Mayslake
By Patrick McGarry

Wednesdays, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
February 23 - March 30 (6 weeks)
$150 HCA members/$175 non-members

This class will benefit anyone with an interest in learning to draw portraits or sharpen their drawing skills. Emphasis will be placed on utilizing classical methods to develop likeness, value and composition. Several different techniques will be covered, from simple contour to complete modeling of the head using charcoal and pencil. Students will learn skills to both interpret photographs and to draw from life. No prior drawing experience is necessary; beginners are welcome!

Advanced Art
By Ann Grill

Wednesday 10 a.m. - Noon
February 23, March 9 and 23 (3 weeks)
$30 HCA members/$40 non-members

If you enjoy painting in your own studio but miss the feedback from fellow artists, this is your opportunity to share ideas, discuss new techniques, and benefit from helpful critiques to enhance your work. Feel free to bring your paints to stay and paint in inspiring surroundings.Meets every other Wednesday.


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March

Elmhurst Symphony presents
Woodwind Pallette
Claudia Cryer, flute; Naomi Bensdorf Frisch, oboe; Kara Bancks, clarinet; Dianne Ryan, bassoon; Philip Stanley, horn

Tuesday, March 1
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 general admission /$7 students / $20 groups of 10 or more
Reservations: (630) 941-0202 / elmhurstsymphony.org

Enjoy the colorful tones of the principal winds of the Elmhurst Symphony, individually these seasoned professional musicians regularly perform in many of the Chicago area’s prestigious ensembles and venues, as well as for various national and international projects. We are bringing these talented musicians together for this rare performance which will delight audiences with some of the world’s great woodwind quintet repertoire.

WDCB Jazz Salon @ Mayslake
Patricia Barber
Produced by PianoForte Foundation

Thursday, March 10
7:30 p.m. (bar open ½ hour before concert)
Tickets: $25 cabaret seating / $20 general seating
$18 for 65+, students, groups over 6
Reservations: (630) 206-9566

Celebrated by Jazz Times as “the most fearless, most intellectually stimulating and, by extension, most interesting singer-songwriter-pianist on the American jazz scene,” Patricia Barber brings something new to every performance. A perennial Green Mill favorite, she’ll leave the western suburbs thirsting for more.

A docent-guided tour of Mayslake Hall will be offered before the workshop at 6:30 p.m. at $5 /person.

First Folio presents
Fooling Buddha
By David Kovac

March 11- March 13
$20-$35
Tickets: (630) 986-8067 / firstfolio.org

Experience the myth, mystery, and infinite jest of David Kovac in his hit one-man show. This is your chance to catch the latest show by the magician hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a “Trickster Hero,” who has thrilled audiences at Second City, the Green Mill, and the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood. Fooling Buddha is a delightful mix of thrilling magic and inspirational humor, with a dash of jazz to round it all out.

Acappellago presents
“Escape to…The Movies”

Saturday, March 19
Tickets: $15 adults
$12 seniors & students (over 18 with ID)
Reservations: (708) 484-3797 x 2 or acapellago.org

“What a Wonderful World” it will be when you escape with Acappellago to the magical world of the movies! We’ll be “Singin’ in the Rain” as we gather at the “Moon River.” From the popular songs of George & Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser and Harold Arlen, to the numerous classical composers who shared their talents with Hollywood, to infectious “tunes for ‘toons” & even the Beatles, the movies never fail to fill our lives with memorable music.

Spring Mayslake Night Hike
By Carl Strang

Thursday, March 24
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
7 and up
Free
Reservations: March 7 (630) 206- 9581

This naturalist-guided experience will take participants through dusk at Mayslake Forest Preserve. Possible early spring animal activities include woodcock courtship, chorus frogs singing, great horned owls hooting, and coyotes howling. The hike will include woodland and prairie environments.

AFA presents
2011 Best of the Best Art Exhibit

March 29 – May 5
Viewing hours: Mon. – Fri., 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Free
Closing reception on Thursday, May 5, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

The Alliance of Fine Art is a nonprofit professional organization of art organizations who partner to advance art education and art appreciation in the community. The Alliance of Fine Art sponsors the prestigious “Best-of- the-Best” annual fine art exhibit. Come and view the artwork of local artists.

First Folio presents
The Woman in Black
By Stephen Mallatratt, based on the novel by Susan Hill

March 30 – May 1
$20-$35
Tickets: (630) 986-8067 / firstfolio.org

Proud and solitary, Eel Marsh House surveys the windswept reaches of the salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the house’s sole inhabitant, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. It is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose…





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April

Nesters & Migrants
By Carl Strang

Saturday, April 30
8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
6 and up (no unaccompanied children)
Free
Reservations: April 18 (630) 206-9581

At this point in the season, some birds are nesting while others still are migrating . The emphasis in this Mayslake exploration will be on how to find and observe bird nests with minimal disturbance. We’ll also enjoy any migrants we may encounter, and learn about they survive this perilous adventure. Binoculars will be helpful.