St Francis of Assisi

The Life of St Francis

Often referred to as the "Poor Little Man" St Francis of Assisi, together with Catherine of Siena, is a patron saint of Italy and stands amongst the most highly venerated personages in the history of Roman Catholicism. He dedicated his life to poverty, charitable works and preaching the words of Christ and thousands of followers were drawn to him during the Middle Ages as he came to represent 13th century evangelicalism. One of the cornerstones of his teachings was that all creatures share the love of Christ and he was even reputed to have preached to a flock of birds; he referred to all living animals as his brothers and sisters.

His determination to base his life upon the teachings and examples of Jesus are said to have resulted in the appearance of the stigmata which appeared on his body after a visitation of a figure from the heavens and which he attempted to hide from public view for the rest of his life; it was only after he had died when these marks were made public, and it is said that just following his death his body resembles that of someone who had just been taken down from crucifixion.

After the imposition of the stigmata he only lived for a further two years, in constant pain and almost blind from an eye infection he picked up while preaching in the Moslem lands and was buried in the church of Santa Giorgio in Assisi, before being reburied in his basilica following his canonisation by Pope Gregory the ninth.

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