Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in 1181 or 1182, the son of a prosperous cloth merchant in Assisi, Italy. A lively young man who dreamed of knighthood, he was taken prisoner in a war with Perugia and fell seriously ill. Afterwards he began to turn away from his old life.
Praying in the half-ruined chapel of San Damiano, Francis heard the crucifix say: “Go and repair my house.” He took it literally at first, and sold his father’s cloth to pay for the rebuilding. When his angry father took him before the bishop, Francis gave back everything — even the clothes he wore — and walked away to live in poverty.
Giotto di Bondone, c. 1297–1300, public domain
Others joined him. Around 1209–10 Pope Innocent III approved his simple rule, and the Order of Friars Minor — the “lesser brothers” — was born, owning nothing, preaching and serving the poor. With Clare of Assisi he founded a parallel community of women, the Poor Clares. In 1219, during the Fifth Crusade, he crossed the battle lines in Egypt to meet the Sultan al-Kamil.
“Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun.”Francis, Canticle of the Creatures (1225)
Illustration: brother sun, sister moon, sister water — the Canticle of the Creatures
Francis saw all creation as family — brother sun, sister moon, brother wind, sister water. His Canticle of the Creatures, written near the end of his life, is one of the earliest poems in the Italian language. In 1979 he was named patron saint of ecology.
In 1223 at Greccio he staged a living nativity scene, beginning a Christmas tradition still kept today. In 1224, on the mountain of La Verna, he is said to have received the stigmata. He died on 3 October 1226 and was declared a saint two years later. In 2013 Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio took the name Francis on becoming pope.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” The famous Peace Prayer first appeared in a French magazine in 1912; it is beautiful, but it is not by Francis.
“Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” Not found in his writings, though his Rule does tell the friars to preach by their deeds.
“Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” A modern line with no source in Francis.
