[2] On October 1, 1972, the building was declared to be a landmark by the California Historical Society; and in September 1999, it became known as the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi.

Early sermons were offered in many languages to reflect the community during the California gold rush, including in Latin, Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, and German.

[3] Using the existing exterior walls which included the twin campanile, a new church interior was built and rededicated on March 2, 1919.

[6] Politician and attorney, Angela Alioto was involved in a legal battle in 2013 over the La Porziuncola Nuova, a little chapel and shrine located next to the Saint Francis of Assisi Church in San Francisco, a 2008 replica of a small chapel founded in the 12th century by Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy.

[7][5] Alioto also founded the Knights of St. Francis organization, whose mission was to guard the La Porziuncola Nuova chapel.