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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Saint Francis Biography FRANCIS OF ASSISI, SAINT (1181 or 1182-1226). The founder of the Order of the Friars Minor, or Franciscans. He was born in the little town of Assisi, Italy. His father was a rich merchant, named Pietro Bernardone; his mother, Pica, of the noble family of the Bourlemonts of Provence, a woman of piety and character. The child's baptismal name was Giovanni (John) ; but his father, out of his predilection for France, with which he carried on an extensive trade, gave the boy the surname of Francesco (the Frenchman). Francis was taken into business partnership at the age of 14 by his father. In his twenty-fourth year, after much meditation on the course of life be had been leading, he suddenly abandoned his old friends and haunts and embraced a life of rigid penance and utter poverty. His object was to lead a life as nearly modeled upon that of Christ as possible and by absolute renunciation of the world to attain perfection. Retiring to a grotto near Assisi, he gave himself up to penance and profound meditation on the sufferings of Christ. In 1208, while hearing mass, he felt himself to be personally called to a mission and to poverty and went out to preach. His austerities and his simple eloquence attracted attention, and it was not long before others, awakened by his ardent example, sought to follow in his steps and join themselves to him in his austere mode of life. His first companions were fellow townsmen--Bernard of Quintavalle, a rich and noble layman, and Peter of Catana, a canon of the cathedral. Here was the nucleus of the Franciscan Order. It was not the intention of St. Francis in the beginning to found a new order. But others associating themselves with the three companions, until there were 12 all told in the band, St. Francis drew up a rule of life in 23 chapters, which, besides the three ordinary vows, of poverty, obedience, and chastity, prescribed the express and absolute renunciation of every possession and the engagement to live upon alms. As soon as the rule was drawn up (probably towards the close of June, or early in July, 1200) , all betook themselves to Rome to seek the approval of the Pope. Innocent III, then Pope, after some hesitation, approved the rule by word of mouth, made Francis superior-general of the Friars Minor, and a conferred the diaconate on the founder, for Francis was as yet only a layman, and always, from motives of humility, refused to become a priest. On their return to Assisi the Friars Minor established themselves in a little house adjoining the chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, where he had received the great message at mass. During the following two years the brethren occupied themselves with preaching and exhorting the people throughout the rural district around Assisi. 2 The order now grew rapidly, and in 1216 was solemnly approved by Innocent III. Francis now sent missionary bands into the different provinces of Italy; then into France, Spain, and even Africa, to preach to the Moors. He himself set the example of the missionary work of the order by going into the East. Two years before his death St. Francis, while in an ecstasy of prayer, is said to have received the marks (stigmata) of the wounds of Jesus upon his own person. (See STIGMATIZATION.) The scene of this event is laid on Monte Alverno, a lonely mountain near Assisi, and the date Sept. 14, 1224. St. Francis died at Assisi, Oct. 3, 1226. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1228. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. IX (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 168. |