ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH

What ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH does

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is a private Catholic nonprofit religious organization located at 610 Vallejo Street in San Francisco's North Beach district, operating as both a working church and a pilgrimage destination. Founded on June 12, 1849 — five years before California's statehood — it is the oldest parish in California and predates both the City of San Francisco and the State of California. Its physical footprint comprises the Historic Norman Gothic church (dedicated March 17, 1860, with twin campanile, Luigi Brusatori murals depicting the life of St. Francis, stained-glass windows, and a Schoenstein pipe organ of 22 ranks and 1,301 pipes installed in 1926 and enlarged in 1993) and the Porziuncola Nuova chapel, a scaled replica of St. Francis's Porziuncola in Assisi, Italy, dedicated September 27, 2008. The Shrine houses holy relics of Franciscan saints Francis, Clare of Assisi, and Anthony of Padua, and was declared a Holy Site by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 — only the fifth such designation in Church/Papal History — granting plenary indulgences on the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels (August 2) and Feast of St. Francis (October 4).

The Shrine's portfolio of services is centered on sacramental ministry: daily Holy Mass (Tuesday–Saturday at 12:15 PM; Sunday at 11:00 AM), Confessions (Tuesday–Saturday 11:00 AM–Noon or by request), Mass Intentions ($10 suggested offering per Mass, payable cash/check), Prayer Requests, Candle Lighting, Novena Prayers, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Pardon of Assisi plenary indulgence. It also hosts organized pilgrimages and educational tours for parishes, faith groups, and schools. Pastoral care has been entrusted to the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Angels (Western America Province) since July 1, 2010, when Father Gregory Coiro was appointed the first Capuchin rector by Archbishop George H. Niederauer; the current rector is Fr. Robert A. Barbato, OFM Capuchin.

The revenue model is donation-driven with three documented streams: walk-in donations and offerings, Mass Intentions ($10 suggested per Mass), and online donations processed through the VanCo (myvanco.com) secure platform. The Shrine serves four customer segments — Pilgrims and Visitors, Catholic Faithful, Parishes/Faith Groups/Schools, and Devotional Worshippers — with no enterprise contracts or recurring B2B accounts. Marketing is conducted through the official website (shrinesf.org), the Capuchin Franciscan network (Capuchinswest.org and the worldwide ofmcap.org), parish/group outreach, and event-driven communications, including the scheduled 800th Jubilee of the Transitus of Francis Relics Exhibition at the Cathedral from October 16 to November 28, 2026.

Name

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH

Legal name

National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi

Website

https://shrinesf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1849

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is a nonprofit Catholic shrine in San Francisco's North Beach district, founded 1849, serving pilgrims, Catholic faithful, and visiting parishes through daily Mass, confessions, pilgrimages, and devotional services under Capuchin Franciscan pastoral care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Landmarks & Pilgrimage Sites (Temples, Churches, Shrines) (THAJACAG), Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC), Faith-Based Group Travel (Church/Mosque/Temple) Organizers (THAKAHAH)

Keywords

• Catholic religious services
• Sacramental ministry
• Pilgrimage destination
• Historic religious landmark
• Franciscan shrine

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Offerings: The shrine accepts donations from visitors, pilgrims, and the faithful. Christian stewards receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, and share them lovingly in justice with others.
2. Mass Intentions: The faithful can request Masses to be said in honor or memory of someone, with a suggested offering of $10 per Mass. Mass intentions can be requested for birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions.
3. Donate Page: Online donations through secure.myvanco.com platform for ongoing support of the shrine's operations and mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is a Catholic religious shrine that provides sacramental and devotional services — Holy Mass, Confessions, Prayer Requests, Mass Intentions, Candle Lighting, Novena Prayers, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet — to pilgrims, visitors, and the Catholic faithful. It also hosts organized pilgrimages and tours for parishes, faith groups, and schools, and grants the Pardon of Assisi plenary indulgence on the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels (August 2) and the Feast of St. Francis (October 4).

Product overview

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic religious shrine and historical landmark in San Francisco's North Beach district. It consists of the Historic church (built 1849, Norman Gothic architecture) and the Porziuncola Nuova chapel (a scaled replica of the original in Assisi, dedicated 2008). The Shrine offers a portfolio of spiritual services including Holy Mass, Confessions, Prayer Requests, Candle Lighting, Mass Intentions, Novena Prayers, and Divine Mercy devotions. It provides access to holy relics of Franciscan saints and features an acclaimed Schoenstein pipe organ. The shrine is a destination for pilgrimages, offers the Pardon of Assisi plenary indulgence, and hosts special events including the 800th Jubilee of the Transitus of Francis (2026). The Capuchin Franciscan Friars have overseen the shrine since 2010.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Porziuncola Nuova: A scaled replica of Saint Francis's original Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy, dedicated on September 27, 2008, and designated a Holy Site for only the fifth time in Church/Papal History by Pope Benedict XVI.

Products and services

• Holy Mass Daily Holy Mass celebrated at 12:15 PM (Tuesday–Saturday) and Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM; the central liturgical service of the Catholic Church offered to the faithful, pilgrims, and visitors at the Shrine.
• Confessions Sacrament of Reconciliation offered Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to Noon, or by appointment, for Catholics seeking sacramental absolution.
• Mass Intentions Mass offerings requested by the faithful to have a Mass celebrated in honor or memory of someone, living or deceased, for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. Suggested offering is $10 per Mass.
• Prayer Requests Faithful pilgrims and visitors can submit prayer requests which are lifted up during Shrine services, with Jesus interceding for believers.
• Candle Lighting Candle lighting in the Catholic tradition symbolizing devotion, prayer, and remembrance, connecting believers to the historical roots of their faith.
• Novena Prayers Novena Prayer for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a nine-day prayer devotion leading up to the feast day.
• Divine Mercy Chaplet A novena devotion based on the revelations to Saint Faustina, beginning on Good Friday, praying for God's mercy for various soul groups.
• Pilgrimages and Tours Organized prayerful visits and guided tours of the Shrine for parishes, faith groups, and schools, including the Historic Church and Porziuncola chapel.
• Pardon of Assisi (Porziuncola Plenary Indulgence) A special plenary indulgence obtained by visiting the Shrine, meeting specific conditions including confession, Holy Communion, prayer for the Pope, and visiting the church — available on the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels (August 2) and the Feast of St. Francis (October 4).
• Porziuncola Nuova Chapel A scaled replica of Saint Francis's original Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy, dedicated September 27, 2008; the fifth Holy Site declaration in Church/Papal History. Open Thursday–Saturday 10 AM–4 PM and Sunday 12 noon–2 PM.
• Holy Relics of Franciscan Saints Holy relics of Franciscan saints including Francis, Clare of Assisi, and Anthony of Padua, displayed throughout the church aisles for veneration by the faithful.

Quantifiable outcome

• The church survived the 1906 earthquake and fires with walls and towers remaining entirely intact, rebuilt and rededicated March 2, 1919
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of AngelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2010The care of the Shrine was entrusted to the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Angels of the Porziuncola. Father Gregory Coiro, O.F.M.Cap., was appointed the first Capuchin rector by Archbishop George H. Niederauer on July 1, 2010. The friars live the Gospel in prayer, fraternity and ministry, witnessing to Jesus Christ and the Church as a joyful presence of hope and salvation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Direct peers

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: The largest Catholic church in North America and the preeminent U.S. National Shrine, located in Washington, D.C. Directly comparable as a federally designated Catholic National Shrine attracting pilgrims, featuring holy relics and devotional services, and supported by donations and pilgrim offerings.
• National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa: A Catholic National Shrine in Doylestown, Pennsylvania with replicas of holy shrines, devotional chapels, and pilgrimage programming. Directly comparable as a designated National Shrine relying on donations, pilgrim visits, and religious-order pastoral care.
• National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: A U.S. Catholic National Shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland offering pilgrim hospitality, devotional services, and a museum. Comparable as a designated National Shrine relying on donations and pilgrimage visitors in a single historic-site footprint.
• Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe: A designated Catholic National Shrine (La Crosse, Wisconsin) operated by a religious order and serving as a pilgrimage destination. Comparable as a religious-order-administered National Shrine dependent on donations and pilgrim visits.

Regional players

• Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores): The oldest intact building in San Francisco (founded 1776), an active Catholic parish and historic landmark in the same metro area as the Shrine. Comparable as a Franciscan-founded heritage Catholic site serving pilgrims and tourists with donation-based revenue, but operating as a parish rather than a National Shrine.
• Old Mission Santa Barbara: A historic Franciscan mission church in California that functions as both parish and tourist/heritage destination. Comparable as a Franciscan-rooted historic Catholic site in California generating revenue from donations, ticketed tours, and a museum operation.
• The National Shrine of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Carmel Mission): A Catholic shrine and historic mission in Carmel, California associated with St. Thérèse, operating as a pilgrimage destination and heritage site on the West Coast. Comparable as a California-based Catholic heritage/pilgrimage site with donation revenue.

Others

• Capuchin Franciscan Friars — Province of Our Lady of Angels: The parent religious order providing pastoral care to the Shrine. Comparable as the institutional backer/ecosystem participant that supplies clergy, governance, and referrals across Western America parishes and ministries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH