The Life of Francis

Francis was born in Assisi in Italy around 1181 into a wealthy merchant class family. As a young man, he was popular and entertaining and one of the trend-setters of his time. In his early twenties he tired of his party lifestyle and tried life as a soldier, as an assistant in his father's shop and as a pilgrim looking for something of greater substance for his life. Francis said that the turning point for himself was an encounter with a leper. Despite all the social rules that told him to flee the leper, Francis was moved to embrace and kiss the man. He said that his life was turned upside down by the experience. He then used to disappear into the forest to be on his own to reflect on what that experience meant.

When he returned he was a different man. He abandoned his wealthy way of living and began to live, work and dress as the poor do. He spent his days repairing derelict churches in answer to a voice he heard saying "Go rebuild my church which you see is falling into ruin."

The people of Assisi, who once had admired and envied the young Francis, now openly called him a madman to his face. His father, Pietro, was furious, for the good name of the family had been disgraced. Thus Pietro took him to court where Francis renounced his birthright and took up the life of a wandering hermit and exhorting people to live lives of peace and goodness.

The Birth of the Order

Although he was mocked and rejected by many, there were some who secretly admired him and within a year or two, some folk joined him, living his life of simplicity and brotherhood. When the number grew to twelve, they walked to Rome 90km away and there, in 1209, Pope Innocent III approved his way of life.

Soon after the first woman, Clare di Offreduccio, the 16 year old daughter of an aristocratic family (St.Clare of Assisi), joined the movement. Before too much longer there were literally hundreds then thousands of people, men and women, married and single, who wanted to follow Francis. For these people who were mostly peasants, Francis wrote a simple plan of life and began what was known as the "Third Order of St.Francis" (later the Secular Franciscan Order).

The fame of Francis spread as more and more people were moved by the attempt of Francis and his friars to live a life of nothing other than the Gospel. More men joined him and missions went through the rest of Italy and into Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Francis and the Sultan

Francis himself travelled to the Holy Land during the crusades being fought to free Jerusalem and the places of Christ's life from the control of Muslims. Francis hoped to convert the ruler of the Muslims, the Sultan Melek el-Kamhil and was prepared to die as a martyr in the attempt. He and his companion, Pacificus, were captured by Muslim guards who, sensing them to be not ordinary Christian prisoners, brought them before the Sultan.

The Sultan was intrigued by Francis in his beggar's garb and his words about Christ. Rather than executing them for blasphemy, as the law required, the Sultan gave them gifts and an escort back to the Christian camp.

The Death of Francis

When he returned to Italy, his frail health began to deteriorate; he probably had tuberculosis and an eye disease, which caused blindness. His friars now numbered around four thousand. Arguments had begun amongst them as to how they were to live. They pressured Francis to write them a "Rule of Life" which he did and had approved by Pope Honorius II in 1223.

In 1224, Francis went away for private prayer and reflection to a favourite spot on Mt. La Verna. He had a vision one night and when he was found the next morning, his body had become marked with the wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side. This is the first instance of a person receiving the Stigmata of Christ.

The blindness, the open wounds, a lung complaint and the butchery of medieval doctors caused his health to worsen. Despite his suffering, he was still moved to give God praise for all creation, for the sun, moon and stars, for the earth, wind, fire and water, for all beasts and for human beings. He composed the famous "Canticle of the Creatures."

He died a comparatively young man in 1226. Two years later he was proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory IX.