On February 11, 2009, the Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary — the ancient tribunal that governs indulgences — issued a decree designating a small stone chapel on a hilltop in eastern Ohio as a place of holy pilgrimage. The chapel is the Portiuncula, a faithful replica of the medieval oratory near Assisi that St. Francis of Assisi repaired with his own hands after hearing Christ speak from the San Damiano cross: "Go, rebuild my Church." In Steubenville, Ohio, on the plateau campus of Franciscan University, pilgrims now follow in his footsteps — receiving a grace that once required traveling to Umbria.
The campus itself sits on high ground above the Ohio River, 40 miles west of Pittsburgh, its stone buildings and grove-sheltered chapels anchored by a conviction that university life and radical Franciscan faith are not merely compatible but inseparable. Since Father Michael Scanlan, TOR, became president in 1974 and pledged to make "Jesus Christ the Lord of the campus in every respect," Franciscan University has drawn students, scholars, and pilgrims who take that claim seriously. Today, in the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi — proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV to honor the 800th anniversary of Francis's death — Steubenville has become one of the few places in North America where Catholics can receive a plenary indulgence under a specific Vatican designation.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The College of Steubenville opened its doors on December 10, 1946, when 258 students — most of them veterans returning from World War II and attending on the GI Bill — enrolled in a newly founded institution run by the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular (TOR). Bishop Anthony John King Mussio, the first bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville, had asked the TOR friars to establish a college in the city; they accepted, brought their own financing, and began building on a hilltop that would eventually become a 250-acre campus.
The institution struggled through its early decades. By the early 1970s, enrollment had fallen and the college's identity had grown uncertain. Then came the charismatic renewal. Small prayer groups had begun gathering in the newly constructed Christ the King Chapel in the late 1960s; by 1974, more than 300 students attended weekly prayer meetings. When Father Scanlan arrived as president that autumn, he channeled this spiritual energy into an institutional identity that would prove durable: Franciscan University would be explicitly, joyfully, orthodoxly Catholic. The college achieved university status in 1980 and adopted its current name — Franciscan University of Steubenville — in 1986.
The Portiuncula Chapel was completed in 1987, constructed as a stone replica of the original chapel at Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi — the chapel that St. Francis regarded as the heart of his mission. That original structure, traditionally said to have been built by hermits around the 4th century (modern scholarship dates it to the 9th-11th century) and restored by Francis in the early 13th century, became the first headquarters of the Franciscan Order and now stands enclosed within the immense 16th-century Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels on the plain below Assisi. The Steubenville replica, nestled in a grove of trees opposite Christ the King Chapel, was designed for the same purpose Francis envisioned: a place so intimate — accommodating only about ten people at a time — that its smallness becomes its statement about how God works.
In February 2009, responding to Franciscan University's petition, the Apostolic Penitentiary under Cardinal James Francis Stafford formally designated the Portiuncula Chapel as a site where the faithful could receive a plenary indulgence. Bishop R. Daniel Conlon promulgated the decree at the chapel on April 24 of that year. After the initial seven-year grant expired, the university petitioned for renewal; the re-designation was granted in 2016, during the Jubilee Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis. In 2026, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee Year honoring the 800th anniversary of St. Francis's death, and the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a new decree extending special indulgences to all who visit Franciscan churches and worship sites connected to the saint. Franciscan University designated four campus chapels as Jubilee pilgrimage sites: the Portiuncula, Christ the King Chapel, the Sacred Heart Chapel in the Christ the Teacher academic building, and the Maria Thron Church at the university's Austrian study-abroad program.
Adjacent to the Portiuncula, and linked to its indulgence, stands the Tomb of the Unborn Child. Conceived by Mike Marker, director of the university's Human Life Center, while waiting for a flight in 1986, the tomb was dedicated on January 22, 1987 — the 14th anniversary of Roe v. Wade — when more than 500 people processed from Christ the King Chapel to witness the interment of two aborted children given to the university for proper burial by pro-life advocates. The children were named Francis and Clare. Five more were subsequently interred: Agnes (1989), Jeremiah (1990), Michael (1995), and Andrew and Joseph (1998). A perpetual flame burns above the tomb, which Cardinal John O'Connor of New York visited in 1992 and called so moving that he challenged the Knights of Columbus to establish similar memorials at every Catholic cemetery; more than 1,835 now exist worldwide.
The spiritual vitality of this campus has flowed outward in other ways. Since 1976, Franciscan University's Steubenville Conferences have gathered Catholic youth from across North America every summer — more than one million participants over fifty years, with over 43,000 attending annually as of 2025. The university's theologians, including Scott Hahn, holder of the Fr. Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization, have shaped Catholic intellectual culture far beyond the Ohio Valley.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Steubenville
Portiuncula Chapel
The Little Portion (Portiuncula in Italian)
Completed in 1987, this stone replica of St. Francis's 13th-century oratory in Assisi is the spiritual center of Franciscan University's campus and the Vatican-designated site of plenary indulgence. The chapel is small by design — holding no more than ten worshippers at a time — and is nestled in a grove of trees across the path from Christ the King Chapel. During academic semesters, perpetual Eucharistic adoration is maintained around the clock. The indulgence may be obtained on five occasions: the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula (August 2), the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4), the Dedication of the Tomb of the Unborn Child (January 22), once on a self-chosen date each year, and during any group pilgrimage to the chapel. Conditions include sacramental confession, reception of the Eucharist, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Christ the King Chapel
The spiritual heart of Franciscan University opened in 1969, eight years after the College of Steubenville relocated from downtown to its hilltop campus. It was here that the charismatic renewal took root in the early 1970s, and here that Father Scanlan's transformative vision found its physical home. After fifteen months of renovation and expansion completed as part of the Rebuild My Church Capital Campaign, the chapel reopened with nearly doubled seating capacity — from 325 to 590 — a new altar and tabernacle, new sacred art, and new stained-glass windows. In the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, Christ the King Chapel has been designated a Jubilee pilgrimage site where the plenary indulgence may be obtained under the same conditions as the Portiuncula.
Tomb of the Unborn Child
Located beside the Portiuncula, the Tomb of the Unborn Child was dedicated on January 22, 1987, when two aborted children — named Francis and Clare, given to the university by pro-life advocates — were interred with full Catholic rites. Five more were subsequently interred: Agnes (1989), Jeremiah (1990), Michael (1995), and Andrew and Joseph (1998). The tomb is guarded by a perpetual flame and surrounded by a stone patio, wooden benches, and granite kneelers. Rosaries, flowers, medals, and handwritten prayers accumulate at its base. January 22 is one of the five occasions on which the Portiuncula indulgence may be obtained, linking this memorial directly to the university's pilgrimage tradition. During the academic year, the Students for Life Club leads a Wednesday rosary at the tomb.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Our Lady of the Angels — August 2
The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula is the principal pilgrimage day at Franciscan University, drawing thousands of visitors to the campus chapel. August 2 commemorates the dedication of the original Portiuncula in Assisi and has been associated with plenary indulgence since Pope Honorius III confirmed it in the 13th century. At the Steubenville Portiuncula, pilgrims queue throughout the day to spend time in the intimate chapel, receive the sacraments, and pray the required prayers for the Holy Father's intentions. The campus also typically hosts the summer Steubenville Youth Conferences around this period, bringing tens of thousands of Catholic young people to the Ohio Valley.
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi — October 4
October 4 is the second of the five indulgence occasions at the Portiuncula and the feast the entire Franciscan campus celebrates with particular solemnity. The day recalls Francis's death in 1226 at the original Portiuncula in Assisi, where he had asked his brothers to lay him on the bare ground. In the Jubilee Year of 2026, the feast carries additional weight: from November 5–7, 2026, Franciscan University is hosting the "Sister Death – Gate of Life" Conference, a major academic gathering marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis's death.
Dedication of the Tomb of the Unborn Child — January 22
Each January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision and the dedication of the Tomb of the Unborn Child, Franciscan University marks the day with prayer at the tomb and in the Portiuncula. This is one of the five occasions on which the plenary indulgence may be obtained, drawing pilgrims who come to pray for the unborn, for those wounded by abortion, and for a renewed culture of life. The date has been observed on campus since 1987.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Best Western Plus Franciscan Square Inn & Suites ⭐⭐⭐ — Franciscan University's official hotel, a four-story, 113-room property situated on University Boulevard directly across from the main campus entrance. Amenities include a complimentary full hot breakfast buffet, indoor heated pool, 24-hour fitness center, and six VIP suites. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is the nearest major gateway, approximately 60 km (37 miles) east of Steubenville — roughly a 45-minute drive via US-22. Direct services connect Pittsburgh to most major North American hubs.
By Car: From Pittsburgh, take I-376 East to US-22 East; the university campus is clearly signed on University Boulevard in Steubenville. From Columbus (165 km west), take I-70 East to SR-7 North through the Ohio Valley. Parking is available on campus.
By Bus: Greyhound bus service operates to Pittsburgh (Greyhound station), from which private transport or a taxi covers the remaining 60 km to Steubenville. Local service within Jefferson County is provided by Steel Valley Regional Transit Authority (svrta.com).
By Train: The nearest Amtrak station is in Pittsburgh, approximately 50 miles from Steubenville. Onward travel requires a rental car or taxi.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Scott Hahn and Kimberly Hahn. Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism — The conversion memoir by Franciscan University's most prominent theologian, tracing his journey from Presbyterian pastor to Catholic scholar. Ignatius Press, 1993.
Scott Hahn. The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth — A richly argued reading of the Book of Revelation as a key to the Mass, by the Fr. Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology at Franciscan University. Doubleday, 1999.
Online Resources:
Portiuncula Chapel — Chapel Ministries, Franciscan University — Official page with indulgence conditions, pilgrim guidance, and chapel history.
Portiuncula Re-designated as an Indulgence Site — Franciscan University's announcement of the 2016 re-designation, with details on the Apostolic Penitentiary decree.
Franciscan University Jubilee Year 2026 — News release describing the four Jubilee pilgrimage sites on campus and indulgence conditions for 2026.
🔗 Useful Links
Franciscan University of Steubenville — Main university website with visitor information, campus map, and accommodation links.
Chapel Ministries — Franciscan University — Central resource for all campus chapels, adoration schedules, and pilgrimage guidance.
Steubenville Conferences — The annual summer youth and adult conference series that brings tens of thousands to the campus each year.
Diocese of Steubenville — Diocesan website with pastoral resources for the Jefferson County region.
🥾 Pilgrim Routes
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — Seton Route — In June 2024, the eastern route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage passed through Steubenville as part of its journey from New Haven, Connecticut, through New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Pittsburgh. The Diocese of Steubenville welcomed the Blessed Sacrament with a "Sing-spiration" at the Louis and Sandra Berkman Amphitheatre on the Ohio River; two days later, a historic sternwheeler carried the Eucharist 30 miles down the Ohio River, blessing communities along both banks.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Carey (230 km west) — The Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, where pilgrims have sought the intercession of a Luxembourg Marian statue since 1875. One of Ohio's two minor basilicas.
Emmitsburg (370 km east) — National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born canonized saint, and the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at Mount St. Mary's University — the college that trained more American bishops than any other institution.
Washington, D.C. (430 km east) — The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic church in North America, alongside the National Cathedral and numerous Catholic historical sites in the nation's capital.
Philadelphia (480 km east) — America's first Catholic diocese and home to the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, the first American man to be canonized, alongside Old St. Joseph's Church, the oldest continually operating Catholic parish in the original thirteen colonies.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Let the brothers who know how to work do so, and practice that trade they may have learned, provided it is not contrary to the good of their souls and can be performed honestly... And whatever is given them beyond what is necessary for their support, let them give to the poor... And they should be glad to dwell among social outcasts, among the poor and helpless, the sick and the lepers, and those who beg by the wayside." — St. Francis of Assisi, Earlier Rule (Regula non bullata), c. 1221
