Many people enjoy reading biographies for the insight they provide into the lives of interesting individuals. Reading a Saint Francis of Assisi biography reveals more about the life of a medieval saint. An author writing about him would have much material to draw from as several of his disciples wrote about him and there are also poems, letters and liturgical writings to examine.
This was a man who lived a simple life, embracing poverty and caring for the poor and the ill. He was also known for his love of nature and animals of all kinds. The young man, however, bore little resemblance to the one that would later influence so many others by his spiritual example.
He was born in a hill-town in Umbria where his father was a wealthy merchant and as a young man his father gave him plenty of money to spend on clothing and entertainment. He did not take much interest in learning or in the business of his father. He was described at this stage of his life as gallant, handsome and courteous with a ready wit.
It took becoming a prisoner for a year during a petty civil war as well as bouts with illness to start turning his attention to more spiritual matters. An encounter with a leper where he overcame his revulsion to give him money was a turning point in his life. He started devoting all his time and attention to spiritual matters.
He cut himself off from his father and began wandering around, speaking to people about repentance and the love of God. Some significant people were influenced by his message. One of these was a wealthy merchant who sold all his possessions, gave them to the poor and joined him. Another was a canon who left the cathedral to join him.
Papal approval was received and the name Little Brothers (Friars Minor) was given to the order. The first Franciscan convent was formed, consisting of small huts with a hedge around them, built in grounds of the chapel of Porzuincola. This was a chapel Francis had helped to restore. Soon many more were attracted to the order and other communities began springing up all over.
He had a burning desire to evangelize infidels and pursued this but when he returned from his missions, he found that changes had been made to the order that he felt violated his fundamental idea. These changes were regarded as necessary by the brothers to try to bring more organization to an ever growing order.
It was in his latter life that this saint was fasting and praying on the mountain and had a spiritual encounter. He saw a vision of a seraph and after this one of the brothers with him at the time described a wound that appeared in his right side and black nails of flesh in his feet and hands with the points bent backwards. This incident is just one in the life of a saint who not only inspired his contemporaries but whose life will still hold meaning for readers no matter what time they are living in.
This was a man who lived a simple life, embracing poverty and caring for the poor and the ill. He was also known for his love of nature and animals of all kinds. The young man, however, bore little resemblance to the one that would later influence so many others by his spiritual example.
He was born in a hill-town in Umbria where his father was a wealthy merchant and as a young man his father gave him plenty of money to spend on clothing and entertainment. He did not take much interest in learning or in the business of his father. He was described at this stage of his life as gallant, handsome and courteous with a ready wit.
It took becoming a prisoner for a year during a petty civil war as well as bouts with illness to start turning his attention to more spiritual matters. An encounter with a leper where he overcame his revulsion to give him money was a turning point in his life. He started devoting all his time and attention to spiritual matters.
He cut himself off from his father and began wandering around, speaking to people about repentance and the love of God. Some significant people were influenced by his message. One of these was a wealthy merchant who sold all his possessions, gave them to the poor and joined him. Another was a canon who left the cathedral to join him.
Papal approval was received and the name Little Brothers (Friars Minor) was given to the order. The first Franciscan convent was formed, consisting of small huts with a hedge around them, built in grounds of the chapel of Porzuincola. This was a chapel Francis had helped to restore. Soon many more were attracted to the order and other communities began springing up all over.
He had a burning desire to evangelize infidels and pursued this but when he returned from his missions, he found that changes had been made to the order that he felt violated his fundamental idea. These changes were regarded as necessary by the brothers to try to bring more organization to an ever growing order.
It was in his latter life that this saint was fasting and praying on the mountain and had a spiritual encounter. He saw a vision of a seraph and after this one of the brothers with him at the time described a wound that appeared in his right side and black nails of flesh in his feet and hands with the points bent backwards. This incident is just one in the life of a saint who not only inspired his contemporaries but whose life will still hold meaning for readers no matter what time they are living in.
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