Pope Francis to visit Assisi
The pope says he wants to see a less hierarchical Church which is less centred on the Vatican.
Pope Francis is in the Umbrian town of Assisi to pray at the shrine of the 13th-Century saint whose name he adopted.
Francis is accompanied by eight cardinals chosen to help him shape a radical programme of reform for the Vatican.
He has said he wants today's Catholic Church to resemble Francis of Assisi's "church of the poor".
He wants to use abandoned monasteries and convents to house refugees. The pope says he wants to see a less hierarchical Church which is less centred on the Vatican.
Two days ago Pope Francis told Italian newspaper La Repubblica his namesake had "longed for a poor Church that looked after others, accepted monetary help and used it to help others with no thought of itself".
"Eight-hundred years have passed and times have changed, but the ideal of a missionary and poor Church is still more than valid," he said.
During his day-long pilgrimage to Assisi, the Pope is expected to meet groups of poor, sick and disabled people who are being looked after by Catholic orders or charities.
St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy.
