A short walk down the steps from the reliquary is the iconic Crystal Hermitage Chapel that was designed after the Porziuncola of Saint Francis of Assisi. The name Porziuncola (meaning “small portion of land”) is the place from which Saint Francis’s Franciscan movement started. Yogananda often called Saint Francis his “patron saint.” Today, Ananda has an entire yoga community and guest retreat, Ananda Europa, located on the hills above Assisi, Italy. Ananda’s founder, Swami Kriyananda, died on April 21, 2013, at his home there, surrounded by beloved students. The Ananda founder’s love for Saint Francis is epitomized in one of the four hundred songs he wrote:
Make Us Channels of Thy Peace
(inspired by Saint Francis, written by Swami Kriyananda)
Lord most high, our heav’nly Father,
All our lives we dedicate to Thee:
All our labors, all our joys and woes,
All our pleasure, all our melody.
Make us each a channel of Thy peace:
When in darkness, guide us from above.
Where there’s sorrow, may we sow Thy joy,
Where there’s hatred, may we share Thy love.
This beautiful chapel was designed and built in the 1980s, in the style of a medieval chapel. The stained glass windows were created by Ananda artisans. Over the years, the chapel has been used for small ceremonies, meditations, and special services and events.
