Crux sancta sit mihi Lux. St. Francis in Meditation (1635-1639), Francisco de Zurbarán

THE MOST HOLY SEPULCHRE OF OUR LORD
JULY 15

The ardent love of Francis of Assisi for Christ crucified, drew his attention daily to that blessed place where our divine Lord shed His Blood to expiate the sins of humanity.  Thirsting for the salvation of souls, and filled with the desire for martyrdom, with Brother Illuminatus he left for the Holy Land in 1219, and from thence went into Egypt.  He was received there by the Moslems with a great show of sympathy.  Since he was forced to return to Europe to attend to the affairs of the Order, he soon left the East, leaving a number of his friars who had joined him there.  The latter continued without respite their mission of peace and charity among the Christians.

When the Crusaders left, the Friars Minor took possession of the Holy Places in the name of the Church.  In 1273, a firman of the Sultan gave sanction to their rights over the Holy Sepulchre and other sanctuaries.  In 1333, they were solumnly assured of the legal ownership of the Holy Places by a contract signed between the Soudan of Egypt and Robert of Naples.  Meanwhile, the Popes in various Bulls gave final ratification to the possession of the sanctuaries in Palestine by the Franciscan Order.

The Friars Minor have kept guard over the Holy Sepulchre for about seven centuries, at the price of much hardship, and many dangers.  They have paid with their blood for this glorious privilege on many occasions. 
Taken from the Franciscan Supplement