Saint Francis elevated Mount Subasio to a place of meditation and 'prison': he often took refuge there for his prayers and reflections.

The sacredness of the mountain has ancient history, since in this territory, as early as the 10th century B.C., the Umbrian populations had identified ideal places for the practice of their cults. With the advent of Saint Francis, the ascetic dimension was strengthened, and even today, when walking along its unchanged and silent paths, one perceives an even greater spirituality and a mystical sense that pervades all of nature.