Annunciation

Luke the Evangelist tells us: “Upon the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin, betrothed to a man of David’s house, named Joseph”. The virgin was called Mary. Entering towards her, he said: “Rejoice, full of grace: the Lord is with you.” At these words, she was very upset and wondered what was the meaning of a greeting like that one. The angel then told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found grace with God. And behold, you will conceive a son, you will give birth to him and you will call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Almighty God; the Lord will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end” (Lc 1,26-33). An announcement that changes the human history: so strong and unprecedented that leaves turmoil.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi mentions three “announcements” of Christ’s birth, which branch out into three distinct proclamations: «The first is addressed to the future mother, Mary; the second to the legal father Giuseppe, while the third is addressed to a group of nomadic shepherds ». This last announcement, addressed to the shepherds, takes place on the occasion of the Nativity: “Today, in the city of David, a Savior is born for you, who is Christ the Lord” (Lc 2,11).

The Annunciation frescoed on the bottom of the northern transept of the lower Basilica of Saint Francis, precedes by a few years the rest of Jesus’ childhood cycle. It dates back to the end of the thirteenth century, completed together with the decoration of the chapel of Saint Nicola.

The Annunciation, that is God who enters the history of salvation and incarnates himself in the body of a virgin thanks to the announcement of a spiritual messenger, is a “joyful mystery” particularly loved by Francis of Assisi and his friars. We find the Annunciation represented above the altar of the Porziuncola, the church dedicated to the Madonna degli Angeli, where Francis had settled after leaving the hovel of Rivotorto, at the heroic times of the origins.

The subject of the Annunciation is represented four times in the church of Saint Francis in Assisi: above the Renaissance entrance portico, sculpted by Francesco from Pietrasanta, that leads towards the Saint’s tomb; at the head of Christ’s childhood stories painted by Giotto in the northern transept of the lower church; with the evangelical stories begun by Iacopo Torriti in the upper nave, above the stories from the life of St. Francis painted by Giotto; in the Romanesque windows executed by german workers in the apse gallery above the papal throne

Written by Prof. Elvio Lunghi

«No one was ever rejected by her. And everyone found shelter under her shadow. From neighbors to the ancient companions of Nazareth. From Joseph’s relatives to her Son’s long time friends. From the poor of the district to passing pilgrims. From Peter in tears after the betrayal, to Judas who perhaps could not find her at home that night”.
It is not possible not to think of how Francis of Assisi tried to live this page of the Gospel and place the Annunciation alongside another scene, this time painted in the upper Basilica: “Francis, who can benefit you more: the lord or the servant, the rich or the poor? ». Francis, in what is remembered as the “dream of Spoleto” will answer: “The Lord”. It is there that the Saint of Assisi says his “Yes” to God, like Mary to the archangel. Mary, Francis, but also each of us will not lack doubts, uncertainties and fears. But that Yes that slowly takes shape in the life of Francis, is nourished by the relationship with God and the embrace of the brothers. This is why our yes to God cannot fail to lead us to be men and women with open, welcoming arms.

Bonaventura from Bagnoregio, in the general chapter held in Pisa in 1263, prescribed that “the friars must invite the faithful to greet Mary three times, when the compline plays in the convent in the evening. They must do it with the same words used by the angel Gabriel to greet Mary, that is, with the Ave Maria”.

This is the first news of the Angelus, a prayer deeply rooted in popular piety, which is repeated three times a day at the touch of a bell, at dawn, at noon and at sunset, in memory of the angel’s announcement to Mary. The invitation was repeated in the Assisi chapter of 1269, when “the decision was made to celebrate a solemn mass in honor of the Virgin every Saturday. The friars were also required to preach to the people in honor of Mary, and to greet her whenever they heard the sound of the bell of compline “(Chronica XXIV Generalium).
Time passes, but we still recite the Angelus with Francis.