Francis Hall is where it all began.


The oldest building on campus, it serves as a hub of academic and social activity. ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ's foundresses, the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, opened and dedicated the site in 1926. Originally the St. Francis Orphanage, it transitioned into a high school before debuting as ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ College in 1958.


Over the decades, the hallowed hall has undergone a number of expansions and renovations, resulting in a rededication of the refreshed space in 2011. Additions include Francis Hall Theatre, a contemporary entryway and foyer, the Miller Art Gallery, music studios, recital spaces, a fine and performing arts suite, and a small chapel.


Francis Hall is also home to the President’s Office, the university's Welcome Center and a traditional-style residence hall that houses 49 first-year students. Its beautiful outdoor patio is a great spot to relax between classes.

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Take a Virtual Tour

Tour Francis Hall virtually. This self-guided visit includes two dozen other stops across ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ locations, featuring 360-degree panorama views, videos and more.

 

Francis Hall Through The Years

Chandelier lights in Francis Hall
Francis Hall chandelier lights
Welcome Center, Francis Hall
Bernardine Sisters historic photo
Francis Hall Theatre Exterior 2016
ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ College Francis Hall historic archive
Miller Gallery
Francis Hall Theatre
Francis Hall Atrium 2024
Francis Hall Patio
Francis Hall Patio
Campus Sunrise Shot

 

Statements on Francis Hall Tiles

Francis Hall was built in 1925 as St. Francis Home for Orphans where it provided services to children until 1957, one year before the founding year of ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ College. It has a rich architectural history and over the years, has provided space for the evolving needs of this Franciscan institution. 


One distinctive feature of Francis Hall is the colorful, handcrafted tiles inlaid in the floors and sidewalls on the main corridors of the building. These tiles depict many religious symbols, including the Swastika (Sanskrit Svastika). The Swastikas (not to be confused with the Hakenkreuz of Nazi Germany) celebrate a long, multifaith tradition.


The equilateral cross with legs bent at right angles – that looks like swirling arms or a pattern of L shapes – has been a holy symbol in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism for centuries. The word Swastika comes from the Sanskrit roots su (good) and asti (to prevail), meaning wellbeing, prosperity or good fortune, and has been used in the prayers of the Rig Veda, the oldest of Hindu scriptures. Europeans adopted this symbol as the Gammadion Cross, with arms bent at right angles in both clockwise and counterclockwise positions. The emblem was a sign of well-being and long life, and was found everywhere, from the tombs of early Christians to the catacombs of Rome and the Lalibela Rock Churches, to the Cathedral of Cordoba.


Tragically, Adolf Hitler defamed the Swastika by rotating it to create a universal symbol of hate, the Hakenkreuz. Today, many inaccurately use the term Sawastika to refer to the symbol of Nazi Germany. The Hakenkreuz used in Nazi Germany is not the Swastika found in Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Christian faith traditions.


We acknowledge that the Hakenkreuz (often inaccurately referred to as a Swastika) is a symbol of Nazi tyranny and the horrors of the Holocaust. We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in crying Never Again! We stand with all the descendants of those who lost their lives and their families because of Nazi Germany’s genocidal attack on humanity. Through our Franciscan charism, we embrace interfaith cooperation as a part of our core values of collegiality and peacemaking. In this spirit that we desire to educate ourselves and our community about the unifying and interfaith history of the Swastika as a symbol of life and prosperity in Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Christian faith traditions.


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