In 2026, we remember the 800TH anniversary of the death of saint Francis. We say “remember” and not “celebrate,” because death is not celebrated, but at best remembered. To remember the death of Francis means to celebrate his life: who he was, what he is for us, and – especially in this calendar – what he is within us and among us. It seemed fitting, then, with these exceptional images by photographer Gianluigi Di Napoli for the calendar of San Francesco patrono d’Italia – to celebrate Francis who lives above all (though certainly not only) in us, his sons, the friars. And even if we are not at his level, we are still his family. In this way we continue to bring about the presence of the one who gave us life, and precisely for this reason, there is also hope that sooner or later some of Francis’s goodness and wisdom may reach us as well. We have therefore chosen to open the doors of our community and our lives, to share with you our most precious treasure: saint Francis lives!
The calendar might be requested for free on prega.sanfrancesco.org/calendario. Fees for international shipping might be applied.
GIANLUIGI DI NAPOLI is an Italian photographer specializing in portraiture. He has collaborated with national and international publications, including Vanity Fair, Io Donna, D – la Repubblica delle Donne, Marie Claire, and Ferrari International Magazine. His work is distinguished by a sober, empathetic, and profound gaze, capable of capturing the truth of the subject without ever forcing the scene. He has photographed artists such as Lucio Dalla, Francesco De Gregori, Paolo Villaggio, Christopher Lambert, Ornella Vanoni, and Arturo Brachetti, as well as lesser-known faces, always with the same delicacy and narrative attention. He has published two photography books (Circus Life, Everynight, all Around the World, Stemmle Verlag – Zurich, and A Poet in Action, Damiani Editore – Bologna). He has presented various institutional exhibitions in galleries and museums in Italy and abroad, such as the Triennale di Milano, MIA – Image Art Fair, the Archiginnasio of Bologna, and the Atelier Renault Champs Élysées in Paris.
