The Porziuncola Project
The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
The Life of St. Francis from the Giotto Paintings in Assisi Basilica
The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis was born in 1181(2) ad in the Umbrian Italian town of Assisi. He was baptized Giovanni (John), but upon return from buisness in France, St. Francis' father nicknamed him "Frencesco", or, "Little Frenchman".
His parents were Bernardo and Pica de Bernadone. His father was a native of Assisi. He and his father, Bernardone, arose out of the surf class by becoming clothe merchants. They established trade with France, particularly Picardy, where they would buy fabrics and sell them back in Assisi and in another shop in Foligno. They were very enterprising and became the second wealthiest family in Assisi.
Saint Francis mother in known as Pica, but some historians tell us that her actual name was Giovanna, or Johanna. The name Pica may be nick name given to her by her husband because she was from Picardy, France.We can presume that French was often spoken in the Bernadone home and perhaps Pica sung to Saint Francis in French as in later years he will be fond of singing in French and imitating the French Troubadours.
Saint Francis had a brother named Angelo. Some speculate that he was a son of Pica from a previous marriage. However there is not much evidence, if any, to support this. We have only one mention of Angelo in the early biographies and it appears that they did not get along so well. It can be conjectured that Angelo was Saint Francis' younger brother who appears quite jealous of his older brother, perhaps jealous of Pietro's favoritism of Saint Francis. There are records of Angelo's grandchildren and great grandchildren who become either benefactors of the Friars Minor or, in some cases Friars and Poor Clare Nuns.
When Saint Francis was just an infant, and during his early years, a great storm wreaked havoc upon the Umbrian territories. Many children died and we can presume that it may be why Saint Francis was always so ill.
Saint Francis was educated by the Benedictine Monks. He learned to read and write and received the typical education for the merchant class of people. Culturally, learning language was a bit difficult, Latin was used in all official state and Church matters, the Umbrian dialect was used on a regular basis, French was spoken in the Bernadone home and the Italian language was emerging. Saint Francis' letters have given rise to many speculating about his poor grasp of the use of languages.
Saint Francis was a spoiled child. His father was keen to make sure that the town of Assisi knew just how well he could provide for his son and family. Saint Francis dressed and ate the finest foods. Food was his biggest vice. At a certain point in his youth he refused to eat anything that wasn't well prepared and served on the best china. If he didn't like the plate the food was served on, he didn't eat it.
As a young boy he was truly taken by the stories of knights, particularly the Knights of the Round Table. These stories built in him a desire, a dream, of becoming a great knight. It is likely that his father Pietro encouraged these dreams. Even though they were wealthy, status wise, they were still not nobility. For the Bernadone family, the only way up the social scale was for Saint Francis to become a great knight. Then they would have both money and social status.
Saint Francis was also a romantic. As he grew older he became enthralled with the French Troubadours who would stroll through Assisi with their fancy outfits and mandolins singing of the stories of knights and their romantic adventures to save their damsels in distress. These love songs filled his heart and imagination. As a young teenager he convinced his father to make him a French Troubadours costume.
At age 15 Saint Francis entered into the clothe trade with his father. We know that he traveled to France with him. It was there that Saint Francis witnessed their great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. This left a very great impression on him and he will write about it later on after his conversion.
As a youth Saint Francis was sensitive to the needs of the poor and his faith. Once a begger came into the shop asking for assistance "In the Name of the Lord". Busy at that time, Saint Francis shewed him out of the store. He then thought to himself; "If he had asked in the name of some great knight I would have helped him." He then made the decision to never refuse anyone if they asked "In the Name of the Lord".
Although many holy cards, movies and paintings show Saint Francis as this very handsome man, he wasn't. He was short, big ears and not very attractive. In later years Br, Masseo will ask him: "Why is the world chasing after you? Your not handsome...". The description by his early biographers do not paint a handsome man.
As a youth, what Saint Francis lacked in looks he made up for in personality. He was joyful, exuberant and the world was his oyster. He was fond of song and games. His personality was inviting and many counted themselves blessed to be among his friends. He was the life of the party and, normally, he was the one throwing the party. Unlike his father who was conservative with his money, Saint Francis was a spendthrift. He enjoyed having feasts with his friends and freely spending his father's money. Pietro did not mind his son's financial liberality, for it made him look like a wealthy man.
Saint Francis was on the merchant class, peasants and surfs who had made their money in trade. They were commonly rough around the edges, unrefined lacking the social skills of the court. Not Saint Francis, he was well mannered and lived his life by the code of conduct of the noble class. This made many who did not know him to believe that he was nobility.
In regards to his purity, many have ignorantly conjectured that Saint Francis, as a youth, was impure and promiscuous. However, following the noble code of conduct, Saint Francis admits that he only knew two women by face. (In his day, as an act of modesty and respect, a man never looked a woman in the face.) Once Br. Leo was given to- know that Saint Francis, in his youth, always walked the heights of purity.
During Saint Francis early teen years the nobles and the knights that lived in or near Assisi had grown frustrated by the rising of the merchant class. Suddenly former peasants and surfs were as wealthy, if not more wealthy, than themselves. The nobles began to make political moves to attempt to return the merchants to their former poverty. The merchants and free citizens of Assisi would not stand for this. When Saint Francis was 15-years-old he participated in the rebellion against the nobles. The merchants burned their castles and drove them pout of Assisi. Saint Clare's family, the Offreduccio's, were among those forced to flee to the nearby city of Perugia. The Assisians became a democratic city and elected their first mayor, a man who was destined to become one of Saint Francis' disciples and his successor, Br. Elias.
Four years passed while Assisi and Perugia had skirmishes, attacks along the roads, burning of fields and fights. The nobles of Assisi wanted their homes back and Assisi was unwilling to allow them. Finally, Assisi and it's allies and Perugia with theirs, engaged in a deadly battle in the fields of Collostrada. Saint Francis fought as part of the calvary, he could afford a horse. It was a devastating defeat for Assisi, most of their youth perished in the battle. Many years later, as a Friars, Saint Francis would prophecy woe on Perugia for what they had done to their neighbors.
Saint Francis was captured in battle and imprisoned in Perugia. At first he was chipper, joyful. He would sing and talked about how he was going to be a great knight that would the honor of the world. Many of his fellow prisoners were bothered by his disposition. As time wore on, Saint Francis' fell ill, gravely ill. The Perugians thought it better that they get a good price for his release rather than allow him to die in prison. So, after a year of incarceration, Pietro was able to pay his son's ransom. Saint Francis returned home sick and close to death.
Slowly, through the skills of physicians that the best money could buy, Saint Francis recovered. At first he needed the help of a cane. He recovered physically, but his heart was not the same. The world had lost it's luster. It had become dull and all that he once considered so important had lost it's meaning. He began to consider life and it's purpose. He began to consider his hopes, desires and dreams. They all began to seem so vain, so useless and so foolish.
It was not long before Saint Francis began to rediscover his old habits. Finding no answers to his questions Saint Francis returned to the life of revelry. Even though his heart was drawing away from it, his friends dubbed him the "Prince of Revels". Not longer after this he had a dream of armor, swords and shields bearing the insignia of the cross. He asked; "To whom does all this belong?" "To you and the army you shall lead." he was told. Believing it to have been a dream from God, Saint Francis set out to join the crusade, believing that he would return a knight.
While journeying to battle he stayed for the night in Spoleto. That night he had yet another dream. In this dream he was told: "Francis, return to Assisi. You have interpreted the dreams of the shields wrong. There in Assisi you will be told what you are to do." Once again believing that this was the voice of God, Saint Francis returned to Assisi.
The following months of Saint Francis' life were moments of peace, quiet and self reflection. He sought the answers to his questions and entered into a time of prayer. As his sins became more and more real to him he began to do penance for them. The love for God grew in his heart and he became, daily, more and more aware of the Truth, Who is God.
The weight and reality of his sinfulness had taken Saint Francis' joy. He seemed to be heavy, downcast, overcome by the consequences of his sinful decisions. Once, praying in a cave on Mount Subassio, Saint Francis was grieving for his sinful behavior. Suddenly, he beheld Christ upon the cross. Without warning his shame and guilt were met by the overpowering mercy of Jesus Christ. "Who are you? And what am I?" he cried. "Who are you? And what am I? What am I but a poor miserable wretch of a sinner! Who are you that you should love me so much?" We are told that at this moment the cross was branded upon Saint Francis' heart, he had become convicted of the love of God for him. As the vision vanished Saint Francis left the cave weeping and crying; "Love is not Loved! Love is not loved!" An old farmer saw him and asked: "Why are you crying young man?" "Love, Christ Crucified! No one loves Him anymore!" They say that from that time on Saint Francis decided that he was going to love Love!
Some time after the vision of the cave, Saint Francis encountered a leper. Many lepers dwelt near Assisi. There was a hospital for the lepers not far outside the city. In the past, Saint Francis could not stand the sight nor the smell of a leper. He would either walk far away from them or he was even know to run the other direction. Now, face to face with a man half eaten by his disease, Saint Francis had to make a choice. Believing that if God could love him with all his sinfulness, who was he not to love this leper. He approached the leper and kissed him on his open soars. Saint Francis experienced the most incredible grace, he said: "What before seemed bitter, was changed into sweetness." Convicted of his former hatred for lepers, Saint Francis made his way to the leper hospital and there apologized to them for his previous behavior. He then showed them compassion and spent some time there serving them with great devotion and love.
During this time Saint Francis was striving to know his vocation, how he should live out his new found faith. Going to a small, poor and dilapidated church outside the city called San Damiano, Saint Francis prayed this prayer: "Most High, all glorious God, bring light to the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity. Give me insight and wisdom so that I might always discern your most holy and true will." Suddenly, the lips of the Icon cross began to move and spoke the same words three times: "Francis, rebuild my Church which you see is falling into ruin." Convicted that the Lord wanted him to literally repair the Church, Saint Francis began a rebuilding project on San Damiano Church.
In his common overenthusiastic way, Saint Francis began to pay to keep a candle burning before the cross. Than, selling his father's stock of clothes ion Foligno, he gathered the money and gave it to the priest in charge of San Damiano. The priest, being a prudent man, knew of Saint Francis' father's greed. He refused to accept the money and so Saint Francis tossed the bag of coins unto a small shelf and thought nothing more of it. He acquirred stone with whatever legitimate means he could and worked as hard as his strength would allow him.
News of Saint Francis' recent conversion and behavior reached his father. He was not pleased, to say the least. Taking hold of Saint Francis he locked him up under the stairs for three months. While Pietro was in France on business, Saint Francis mother Pica released him. Saint Francis returned to San Damiano. Pietro, returning and finding his son missing, added sin to sin by abusing Pica.
Not yet formed in fortitude, Saint Francis hid in a small hiding place while a friend brought him food. Finally, called to a public trial Saint Francis came out of hiding. Pietro made a plea to the mayor that Saint Francis should return the money from the sales and either return home or face the punishment for a disobedient son. Saint Francis responded by informing the authorities that he was no longer under the jurisdiction of the city, he had consecrated his life to God. In answer to such a claim, Pietro called for a trial before the bishop of Assisi, Bishop Guido.
With the town gathered before the bishop's residence, in the public square, Pietro made his case against his son. Saint Francis, for his part, returned the money to his father. He then stripped himself naked and returned all his clothes to his father exclaiming: "I give you back everything you have ever given me, including your name. For I no longer say 'Pietro Bernadone my father'. But from now on I say 'Our Father Who art in heaven.' Bishop Guido quickly removed his cope and covered Saint Francis. This was always understood as the Churches embrace of Saint Francis' conversion.
Saint Francis clothed himself in a woolen tunic, no hood, sandals and a walking staff. He had become, what was known in his day as a public penitent, one who was making public penance for his past sins. He spent his time repairing San Damiano Church, San Pietros and Our Lady of the Angels, often called the "Portziuncula". When his building projects were complete he spent six months in a Benedictine Monastery on Mount Sabassio working in the kitchen. At the end of the six months he needed a new tunic, the monks would not provide it to him so he left and went to Foligno to see an old friend and get some clothes.
In 1209, on the Feast of Saint Matthias, Saint Francis before attending Mass at the Portziuncula, still pondering what his true vocation may be, he consecrated himself and his vocation to the Blessed Mother. It was after that Mass that Our Lady would answer his prayer. The Gospel that day was Matthew 10, the sending out of the apostles. After Mass Saint Francis asked the priest to explain the Gospel to him. When the priest described the sending of the apostles out in poverty; no second tunic, no money, no sandals and no walking staff, Saint Francis cast away his staff, took off his belt and girded himself with a cord, then, he threw off his sandals exclaiming: "This is what I desire! This is what I long for with all my heart!" It was at that very moment that the Charism of the Friars Minor, or, as we say, The Franciscan Charism was conceived in the heart of Saint Francis.
Very quickly Saint Francis sowed a long pointed hood to his tunic so that his garments, when laid out, would resemble the cross of Jesus. Girding himself with a rope, Saint Francis professed the three evangelical councils of poverty, chastity and obedience. He was alone, one man with a burning desire to live after the manner of the Holy Gospel. Soon, the fire in his heart would spread to the four corners of the world.
Within ninety days came his first companions; Giles, Rufino, Fr. Sylvester, Fr. Pietro, John the Long, Simon, John of Capella, Bernardo, Juniper, and others. Twelve of them lived in a small hut near the little brook called "Rivo Torto". They were poor, had only a tunic, a cord and a pair of pants. Not knowing how to say the Divine Office they would pray the Office of the Our Fathers instead. They preached in the streets, did some work on farms for their daily sustenance, begged, and served the lepers at the hospital. They spent a majority of the time in prayer and contemplation loving God.
In that same year of 1209, at the instigation of Bishop Guido, Saint Francis and twelve of his companions made their way to Rome in order to have their new congregation approved by the Holy Father. Saint Francis presented a Rule that was no more than a few Scripture passages sown together. True to form, it was short, simple and evangelical, in the best sense of that word. Bishop Guido arranged the meeting and Saint Francis was granted an audience with Pope Innocent III, the most powerful pope in the history of the Church.
The first meeting with the Holy Father did not go so well, they were thrown out and to go and stay in the pig sty, so they did. It was that night that Saint Francis dreamed of a great tree bending down to him. The same night Pope Innocent dreamed of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Popes main Cathedral, falling down. He saw a little poor man step out from behind the pillars and hold it up. It was given to him to understand that the little poor man was Saint Francis.
The next day Pope Innocent called Saint Francis and his companions back in. The cardinals debated the severity of the Rule, particularly of extreme poverty. He was asked those to come, in the future, would they be able to endure such poverty? Saint Francis told a parable to the Pope about a woman who wedded a man destined to be king. She had many sons with him. Then, he went off to become King. Some time later a great famine struck the land. The woman told her children to go to the king and not fear because they are his sons. When the king saw the children he recognized them and provided for them because they were his sons. Saint Francis told the Holy Father; "I am that woman!" and that if his sons remain true to holy poverty than Jesus would always see His image in them and provide for them. Saint Francis won over the Holy Father, his Rule was approved, Saint Francis was ordained a deacon, he professed hid vows into the hands of the Pope and the others professed their vows into the hands of Saint Francis. On that day, the Order of Friars Minor was born.
On the way home from Rome the Friars discerned if they should be hermits and give themselves over to solitude and contemplation or should they preach and serve the poor. In the end they concluded that their Charism was to basically be contemplatives with an apostolate, spending a goodly amount of time in prayer and penance while also giving themselves over to preaching and serving the poor.
Over the next seventeen years Saint Francis will see his Order grow from the twelve of them to seven thousand. He'll attend the Fourth Lateran Council, go to the East and preach to the Sulton, Many miracles will be performed through his intercession and many souls will come to God and return to God due to his preaching and his example. Most famously, in 1224, two years before his death, Saint Francis will be the first saint to receive the holy stigmata. Unlike any other stigmatist after him, Saint Francis' flesh will form the shapes of nails in his hands and his feet. He will become a living crucifix.
Saint Francis will go on to write several letters, even a letter to Saint Anthony of Padua giving him permission to teach theology to the brothers. Most of his letters are about the extraordinary love and care that we should have for Our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist.
Due to the changes in religious life brought about at the Fourth Lateran Council, Saint Francis will revise his Rule of Life in 1221. In 1223, the prior Rule of 1221 not receiving approval, Saint Francis will write the definitive Rule for the entire Order. So that the Friars "in a more Catholic manner" could observe the Rule, in 1224 Saint Francis wrote his Testament.
In the year 1212 Saint Francis established a Second Order, the Poor Ladies of San Damiano. Saint Clare was the founderess and in due time the Order grew and spread through Europe. Queens and princess, poor and noble ladies would abandon the world to embrace the poor and humble Christ.
In 1223 Cardinal Ugolino, Prefect of the Congregation for Religious, and the Cardinal Protector of the Friars Minor, would work with Saint Francis in order to coordinate the disorganized group of public penitents, a group to which Saint Francis once belonged. Saint Francis wrote a Rule for them and they were given into the care of the Friars Minor, thus establishing the Third Order of Saint Francis. This group was composed of lay faithful, diocesan priests and hermits. Most lived in their own homes, rectories and some in groups, communally.
In 1223 Saint Francis celebrated Christmas in the town of Greccio where there was a Friary. He set up a live nativity. At Midnight Mass Saint Francis preached and eye witnesses saw Saint Francis lift the Christ child from the manger. This devotion spread like wild fire. In short while the whole Church would come to setting up Christmas creches in their churches and in their homes, in public places and in town squares. The Nativity Set is one of Saint Francis great contributions to the life of the Church.
Too often, when someone hears of Saint Francis they think of birds, ecology and nature. One may even get the impression that Saint Francis cared more about the animals than he did about human life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. However, all of God's creation spoke to him about the creator. He loved creation because it was from God and led his heart and his mind to contemplate God. In creation he could better understand and study the love of his creator. At a certain point in Saint Francis' life is when all the "animal stories" begin; the birds, the wolf of Gubbio and so on. It was not that Saint Francis was out to pet animals, it was that he had reached a point in his spiritual life where he returned to original innocence. In other words, animals lost any fear of him. It was if they could sense their creator in him.
There was the fish that kept leaping into his boat. The rabbit that kept jumping back in his arms and the birds, who stopped chirping at his request so he could pray his Divine Office and who, on another occasion received his blessing. The town of Gubbio was being terrorized by a very dangerous wolf. To spare the town any more loss of life, Saint Francis found the den of the wolf. He spoke to the wolf and offered the proposal that if the town were to be good to the wolf and feed it, it would in turn be the cities protector. Raising his paw in agreement, they shook on it. The people of Gubbio took to love that wolf and he became their protector. It may sound like a wild crazy story to us, but to the people of Gubbio it is history. After the wolf died he was buried in the church. Legend? If you ever go to Gubbio you can sit beside his grave and ask.
At one time Saint Francis helped a worm cross the road, not because he had any affection for worms, but rather because he had been contemplating the words of psalm 22 and their prophetic fulfillment in Christ; "I am a worm and no man". On a couple of other occasions he exchanged items to set a couple of lambs free, not because he particularly liked lambs, but because he had been reflecting upon the words of John the Baptist used to point out Jesus: "Behold the Lamb of God", or the prophetic words of Isaiah: "Like a lamb led to the slaughter he opened not his mouth. Like a sheep before the sheerer". In the heart and mind of Saint Francis, everything spoke of the faith.
On a side note, most vegetarians, if they knew Saint Francis, would not like him. He was the first founder of a Religious Order who did not ban the eating of meat. Yes, he loved animals, but in their proper place. The only day of the week that the Friars could not eat meat was on Friday. Once the Friars asked him what they should do if Christmas fell on a Friday. He told them that they should eat meat and that they should wipe the walls with the meat so that they too could taste it. On another occasion, while Saint Francis and the brothers were returning from the east, the brothers he left in charge back in Assisi made a rule that the Friars were forbidden to eat meat. Saint Francis and his companions learned about this rule while they were sitting down to a steak dinner. So Saint Francis asked Br Leo: "Br. Leo, what shall we do? The brothers back home have made a rule that we can not eat meat. However the Gospel says to eat what is set before you. Shall we obey the brothers back home? Or, shall we obey the Gospel?" Without hesitation Br. Leo said that they should obey the Gospel. Saint Francis agreed and they enjoyed a good steak dinner. This has caused many to say that Saint Francis loved animals, he thought they were delicious!
That was not the only gift that Saint Francis gave to the Church. He can be credited for the gift of the Breviary, the High Altar, Tabernacles and the stations of the cross just to name a few. His contribution and that of his Friars to the liturgy, theology, especially Mariology, would mark the lives of Christians for generations to come. It should be well noted that the first poem to be written in the Italian language was "The Canticle of Creatures", Saint Francis' most well known work.
On October 3rd 1226, Saint Francis made his transit to heaven. He was canonized on July 16th 1228, just two years after his death. His three Order continue to flourish in the Church, producing saints and effecting the lives of millions.