During the Angelus prayer on Sunday, October 4, 2026, Pope Leo XIV spoke about Saint Francis of Assisi, on the occasion of the feast commemorating the 800th anniversary of his death. Referring to the Gospel passage of the day, the Pope urged the faithful to follow the example of this "worker who worked fruitfully in the vineyard of the Lord." "Jesus asked Francis to repair his Church," said Pope Leo XIV, emphasizing the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi on this day, which marks the culmination of the jubilee year proclaimed in Italy to commemorate the 800th anniversary of his death. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, the Pope invited the faithful to draw from Saint Francis's spiritual heritage a path of peace and fraternity. Reflecting on the parable of the murderous vineyard workers, proposed by the liturgy of the day, Pope Leo XIV first recalled the paradox at the heart of Christ's mission: the Son of God, sent into the world to bring salvation and give life, is rejected and condemned to death by those who should have welcomed him. This violence, he emphasized, however, cannot prevent the design of God. "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," he quoted from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew (Mt 21, 42; cf. Ps 118, 22). For the Pope, this statement reveals how God acts in history: in his infinite justice, he is capable of transforming evil into a work of redemption. "God never rejects our lives," emphasized Pope Leo XIV, inviting people to recognize in this promise a support during trials and falls. Francis, a "worker who worked fruitfully" in the vineyard mentioned in the parable, becomes the image of the Church, which each person contributes to "build or destroy" through their choices. It is in this context that the Pope mentioned Saint Francis of Assisi, whose death is commemorated this year by the Church on the eighth centenary. Francis was, according to Pope Leo XIV, a "worker" who worked fruitfully in the vineyard of the Lord, responding to the call received from Christ: "Repair my Church." But this restoration, explained the Pope, began with a personal conversion. Inspired by the Crucified, Francis first built his own existence "on the foundation of Christ," sharing his poverty, joy, and sufferings, until receiving the stigmata. A man of prayer and charity, he led the first brothers on this path of asceticism and reform. Pope Leo XIV especially emphasized the fraternal dimension of this work. Saint Francis did not only contribute to renewing the Church through his spiritual life: he "restored it through his faith in the Lord Jesus," contributing to "filling the cracks of discord with the testimony of fraternal love." In this jubilee year, Pope Leo XIV called for asking with perseverance for "the gift of peace" and to sincerely commit to building harmony among peoples. According to Vatican sources, the Pope could travel to Assisi on October 27, on the occasion of an interreligious meeting organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, 40 years after the one organized in 1986 around Pope John Paul II. This would be the third visit by Pope Leo XIV to the city of Saint Francis since the beginning of his papacy, after his meeting with Italian bishops on November 20, 2025, and his visit last August 6 for a gathering of the Franciscan youth.