800th anniversary of Franciscan Order: 1,755 Franciscans convene in Assisi
April 17, 2009
As Franciscans throughout 2009 commemorate the 800th anniversary of their founding, 1,755 representatives of the four major male Franciscan institutes-- the Order of Friars Minor, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins, the Order of Friars Minor Conventuals, and the Third Order Regular -- are convening in Assisi. On April 18, they will have an audience with Pope Benedict at Castelgandolfo.
According to the 2008 edition of the Annuario Pontificio, the Friars Minors (15,256 members) are the 3rd largest men’s religious institute (after the Jesuits and Salesians), while the Capuchins (11,166 members) are 4th and the Conventuals (4,525 members) are 11th. There are 883 Third Order Regular Franciscan friars.
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