Francis of Assisi

Life and legacy

Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, the son of a prosperous silk merchant in Assisi, the young Francis enjoyed a carefree youth of feasting and troubadour songs. He dreamed of military glory and joined a military expedition against Perugia in 1202, only to be captured and imprisoned for a year. A long illness during his captivity began a spiritual transformation that would unfold over several years.

The decisive moment came in 1205-1206. While praying in the ruined church of San Damiano outside Assisi, Francis heard a voice from the crucifix saying, "Go, repair my house, which you see is falling into ruins." He initially took this literally and began rebuilding the church with his own hands. He renounced his inheritance in a dramatic public scene before the bishop of Assisi, stripping off his fine clothes and declaring that God alone was his father. He chose a life of absolute poverty, begging for food and caring for lepers.

Followers began to gather. In 1209, Francis walked to Rome with twelve companions and received verbal approval from Pope Innocent III for a simple rule of life based on the Gospels. The Franciscan order grew with extraordinary speed, attracting thousands within a few years. Clare of Assisi founded the parallel order for women (the Poor Clares) in 1212. The movement's appeal lay in its radical simplicity: the friars owned nothing, worked or begged for their food, preached in the vernacular, and lived among the poorest of the poor.

In 1219, during the Fifth Crusade, Francis traveled to Egypt and crossed enemy lines to meet Sultan al-Kamil of Egypt. The encounter, remarkable for its time, was apparently conducted with mutual respect. Though neither converted the other, the meeting has become a powerful symbol of interfaith dialogue. Francis returned to Italy to find his rapidly growing order increasingly difficult to manage, and he gradually withdrew from its administration.

In September 1224, while praying on Mount La Verna, Francis reportedly received the stigmata, the wounds of Christ appearing on his hands, feet, and side. He spent his last two years nearly blind and in constant pain. He composed the Canticle of the Sun, one of the earliest masterpieces of Italian vernacular literature, praising God through "Brother Sun" and "Sister Moon." He died on October 3, 1226, and was canonized just two years later by Pope Gregory IX. His radical embrace of poverty and his joyful reverence for the natural world have made him one of the most universally admired figures in Western history.

Key accomplishments

• Founded the Franciscan order, one of the most influential religious movements in Western history
• Crossed enemy lines during the Fifth Crusade to meet Sultan al-Kamil of Egypt in a remarkable act of interfaith encounter
• Composed the Canticle of the Sun, one of the earliest great works of Italian vernacular poetry
• Reportedly received the stigmata on Mount La Verna in 1224
• Canonized just two years after his death, becoming one of the most beloved saints in Christianity

Quotes

The Lord gave me, Brother Francis, thus to begin doing penance.

Testament of St. Francis (1226)

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Sun, who is the day, and through whom You give us light.

Canticle of the Sun (Cantico di Frate Sole, 1224)

Related figures