Saint Francis of Assisi
Feast day: October 4
Saint Francis of Assisi, God’s poor man, who loved all creatures and founded the Friars Minor (04/10)
Who is he?
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian friar who lived more than 800 years ago. He chose to live very poor so as to be like Jesus, and he founded the Order of Friars Minor, usually called the Franciscans. He is one of the most loved saints in the world.
Life story
Francis was born in 1181 or 1182 in the town of Assisi, into a rich family of cloth merchants. When he was young, he liked fine clothes, having fun with his friends and dreaming of becoming a knight. He went to war, was taken prisoner and fell ill. From then on, he began to think about the meaning of life.
Once, he met a man with leprosy. Before, he had been very afraid of people with leprosy, but this time he went up to the man, embraced and kissed him and helped him. He later said that what had once seemed bitter to him had now become sweet. He gave all his possessions back to his father, put on rough clothes and lived in poverty to follow Jesus.
Many young people saw how joyful and peaceful he was, and asked to follow him. In 1209, Pope Innocent III approved the way of life of the first group of brothers. They went everywhere, preaching peace and inviting everyone to repent, that is, to admit their wrongs and come back to God.
He saw all of God’s creatures as his brothers and sisters: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, even the little birds. He wrote the “Canticle of Brother Sun” to praise God. In 1223, in the village of Greccio, he set up a living scene of the birth of Jesus, which started the custom of making Christmas cribs that we still do today.
In 1224, he received the five holy wounds, like the wounds of Jesus crucified. He died on 3 October 1226 and was canonized just two years later, in 1228.
Why is he a saint?
Saint Francis loved Jesus with all his heart, so much that he wanted to be like him in everything: poor, humble and loving. He found true joy in God, not in riches, and brought peace to many people.
A lesson for you
- Don’t long for expensive toys and clothes; be happy with what you have and share with the poor.
- Take care of nature: don’t litter and don’t be cruel to animals, because God made every creature.
- At Christmas, make a crib with your family and pray in front of it.
Identifying marks
- A rough habit (usually painted brown or gray) with a white cord tied in three knots: the habit of the Franciscan brothers; the three knots recall the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
- A T-shaped cross (Tau): a sign Saint Francis loved very much and used to sign his name.
- A little bird perched on his hand: according to tradition, he once preached to the birds, and he called all creatures his brothers and sisters.
- Wounds on his hands: in 1224, he received on his body the five holy wounds, like the wounds of Jesus.
- A wolf (*): according to tradition, he tamed the fierce wolf of the town of Gubbio.
(*) Only in some pictures and statues.
The text on this page is the saint card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.
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