Earliest surviving depiction of Saint Francis:

Born in Assisi around 1182, Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, known as Francis, was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. His father was away on business when Francis was born, and upon his return, he was so happy to have a son that he nicknamed him 'Francesco' (the Frenchman), which later became his official name!



Francis grew up in a wealthy family and enjoyed all the privileges that came with his social status. He was educated in Latin and French, and he showed a talent for business and a love for the finer things in life.





As a young man, Francis was known for his charm, generosity, and love of parties. He dreamed of becoming a knight and achieving great military glory. In 1202, he joined the army and fought in a war between Assisi and Perugia. However, he was captured and spent a year as a prisoner of war...This experience, along with a serious illness that followed his release, began to change Francis's outlook on life and made him question his values and priorities.

After his release from prison and recovery from illness, Francis began to experience a gradual conversion. He started to spend more time in prayer and reflection, and he became increasingly aware of the suffering of the poor and the emptiness of his former lifestyle.



One day, while riding his horse, Francis encountered a leper. Previously, Francis had been repulsed by lepers, like most people, but on this day, he felt compelled to dismount and hug and kiss the leper. This act of charity marked a turning point in Francis's life and was the beginning of his radical conversion.





Francis also began to spend time in abandoned churches, praying and seeking God's will for his life. During one of these prayer sessions in the church of San Damiano, Francis heard a voice from the crucifix saying: "Francis, go and repair my house, which is falling into ruin." Francis initially took this literally and began to repair the physical church building, but he would later understand that God was calling him to help rebuild the spiritual house of the Church.



Francis's conversion reached its climax when he made the radical decision to renounce his wealth and live in complete poverty! In a dramatic scene in the town square of Assisi, Francis stripped off his fine clothes and returned them to his father, declaring that he now had only one father - his Father in heaven. This act of renunciation was a complete break with his former life and marked the beginning of his new life as a follower of Christ.





Francis then began to live as a hermit, wearing simple clothes and begging for his food. He dedicated himself to prayer, penance, and serving the poor. His lifestyle was so radical that many people thought he was crazy! But Francis was completely happy and at peace. He had found his true calling in following Christ and living the Gospel message of poverty, humility, and love.







As Francis's reputation for holiness grew, other men began to join him in his way of life.

In 1209, Francis and his first followers went to Rome to seek approval from Pope Innocent III for their new religious order. The Pope was initially skeptical, but after having a dream in which he saw Francis holding up the Lateran Basilica (the mother church of Christendom), he approved the new order. This was the beginning of the Franciscan Order, which would become one of the most important religious orders in the Church.







The Franciscan Order was based on the principles of poverty, chastity, and obedience, with a special emphasis on living in complete poverty, just as Christ and the apostles had lived. Francis and his followers traveled throughout Italy and beyond, preaching the Gospel, serving the poor, and living as witnesses to the love of Christ. They became known as the 'Friars Minor' (Lesser Brothers) because they considered themselves the least of all people!

One of the most distinctive aspects of Francis's spirituality was his deep love for all of God's creation. Francis saw all creatures as his brothers and sisters, and he treated them with respect and love.

He is famous for preaching to the birds, taming a fierce wolf, and composing the 'Canticle of the Sun,' a beautiful hymn praising God for all of creation! Francis's love for creation was not sentimental, but was based on his understanding that all things come from God and reflect His goodness and beauty.







Francis's attitude toward creation has made him the patron saint of ecology and environmental protection. His example reminds us that we are called to be good stewards of God's creation and to treat all living things with respect and care. Francis's love for creation was also a reflection of his love for God, as he saw the beauty and goodness of creation as a reflection of the beauty and goodness of the Creator.

Saint Clare was still a teenager in the noble di Favarone family when she first heard St. Francis preach in the streets of Assisi.



She sought him out for guidance, and for a year the two met secretly to plan what would come next. On the night of Palm Sunday in 1212, St. Clare left her family’s home for good.

St. Francis cut her hair and gave her a plain habit in its place, and she began the community that would become the Poor Clares, living in poverty and prayer at San Damiano.



St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi shared one of the most enduring friendships in the history of the Church — it was a friendship built on a common calling to Christ and to poverty.