Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi renounced his rights to being the heir of his fathers wealth
in order to live as a devout Christian. His devotion to Christianity while living a life of
evangelical poverty1 led to many followers and eventually earned him the title of a Saint
soon after death. During his lifetime, he gained recognition by restoring Christian
churches and the founding of three Franciscan Orders before his death. Saint Francis of
Assisi is most known for his passion in nature, as he saw Gods creation in it, and the first
human to receive the stigmata, the Crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ.2
Franciss early life consisted of wealth, privilege, and promise. Francis was
born in Assisi, Italy around 1181 through 1182. Although known as Francis of Assisi,
he was baptized as Giovanni or the biblical name John. Upon his fathers, Pietro di
Bernardrones, return from France, he was displeased with his baptismal name was
nicknamed Francesco, Italian for Frenchman. The family made their wealth from
Pietros successful mercantile business. Records conclude that Franciss mother,
Pica, had received a dowry from her father, which had contributed to the start of
Pietros business. Francis was not born in to the aristocratic society however, his
family home estate was among the top third in the tax bracket and became
associated with the aristrocrats sons.3
During childhood Francis was a promising heir to his fathers business. He
had received some schooling at the hospital of San Giorgio and had learned Latin
1

Michael Robinson, St. Francis of Assisi: The Legend and the Life (New York:
Continuum, 1997), 10
2
Ritchey, Sara Margaret. Holy Matter: Changing Perceptions of the Material World in
Late Medieval Christianity. Cornell University Press, 2014. 10.
3 Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 5-7.

and French, although he was not fluent in both. He often accompanied his father to
business trips to France and polished his French and mastered accounting
techniques of the time. Around the age of 14 in 1195, he began to work as an
apprentice under his father and learned to sell cloth, keep financial records, and
control inventory.4 His apprenticeship proved that he was becoming a keen
salesman and had become a member of societas iuvenum, a fraternity that provided
networking opportunities for wealthy individuals. Despite his promising youth,
Francis wrote his period of youth as in his sins. Records suggest that Francis had
often behaved in a courtly manner. However, he had acted indifferent to lepers and
often avoided or waved them away.5
In 1201, Francis embarked on knightly endeavors when war broke out
between Assisi and Perugia. He decided to join the communal militia in hopes of a
victory however the city of Assisi suffered from a tragic defeat. During the war,
Francis was captured and held as a prisoner of war with other aristocratic knights in
Perugia for over a year while awaiting ransom. During his imprisonment, Francis
had suffered from illness and declining health which lead to discouragement
mentally and physically. 6 Upon his release, the dispirited Francis fell into
depression and experienced feelings of guilt and anxiety, similar to the modern-day

Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell

University Press, 2012. 8.
5 Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 8-9.
6
Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 9-10.

symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).7 Soon after, Francis forced

himself back into the military in 1204 and set out for war in Apulia. Upon arriving in
Spoleto, Francis began to feel uncertain in continuing military endeavors and
returned back to Assisi.8
Upon returning back to Assisi, Francis experienced an increase in spirituality
however, he had lost interest in the family business. In late 1205, Francis left Assisi
to live a life of spirituality in San Damiano.9 During his time at San Damiano, he
performed charities with lepers, a word used to describe people of the medieval
ages with leprosy or physical deformities, and worked to restore deteriorating
churches. Upon hearing of Franciss work, his father had legally disinherited him
and Francis embraced poverty following the text of Matthew 10:514, to possess
nothing, but to do good everywhere.
While living his life in religious devotion and poverty, Francis gained
followers thus, starting the Franciscan movements. In 1208, twelve disciples came
together to form the fraternity, Orders of Friars Minor or most commonly known as
the First Order or simply, Franciscans. 10 The Franciscans followed The Rule of
Saint Francis which is body regulations in which they live by such as fasting and

Robson, Michael J. P. St. Francis of Assisi the Legend and the Life. London:
Continuum, 1999. 20.
8

Robson, Michael J. P. St. Francis of Assisi the Legend and the Life. London:
Continuum, 1999. 20.
9
Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 19.
10
"Francis of Assisi, Saint 2014." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. World
Book,, Chicago.

praying.11 In 1212, Saint Clare, a nun of Assisi, came to Francis and converted
starting the first Franciscan Order for women, the Order of Saint Clare (the Poor
Clares), also known as the Second Order of Franciscans. In 1220, the Third Order of
Franciscans emerged12, originally called the Brothers of Penance. It is believed that
Francis himself was not apart of the brotherhood but was definitely an influence on
the group.13
Near the end of his life, Francis became the first human to receive the
stigmata, the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. In September 1224 during forty
days of fasting on Monte Alverno, Francis felt pain and joy and discovered he had
received the marks of the crucifixion during prayer. In the following years, Francis
was carried back to Assisi where he would spend the rest of his life in pain and
suffering.14 Francis died at age of forty-four on October 3, 122615 and October 4 is
celebrated in his honor as the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. His final resting place
is at the Basilica of San Francesco dAssisi in Assisi, Italy. After his death, Francis was
canonized in 1228 by Gregory IX and became known as Saint Francis of Assisi. 16

11

Weaver, Mark. "The Rule of Saint Francis: What Was Really Lost?" Franciscan
Studies 69 (2011): 31-52.
12
"Francis of Assisi, Saint 2014." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. World
Book,, Chicago.
13
Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 92.
14
"Francis of Assisi, Saint 2014." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. World
Book,, Chicago.
15
Robson, Michael J. P. St. Francis of Assisi the Legend and the Life. London:
Continuum, 1999. 20.
16 "Francis of Assisi, Saint 2014." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. World
Book,, Chicago.

Works Cited
"Francis of Assisi, Saint 2014." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia.
World Book,, Chicago.
Ritchey, Sara Margaret. Holy Matter: Changing Perceptions of the Material
World in Late Medieval Christianity. Cornell University Press, 2014. 10.
Robson, Michael J. P. St. Francis of Assisi the Legend and the Life. London:
Continuum, 1999. 20.
Thompson, Augustine. Francis of Assisi a New Biography. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 2012. 5-92.
Weaver, Mark. "The Rule of Saint Francis: What Was Really Lost?" Franciscan
Studies 69 (2011): 31-52.