Life of Saint Francis

Saint Francis of Assisi, baptized Giovanni and renamed Francesco di Pietro di Bernardone by his father, was born in 1181/1182 in Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy. His father Pietro Bernardone was a very rich cloth merchant whose hope was that his son would follow in his footsteps. Despite early promise, it became clear that God had prepared a very different path for Francis.

It was Francis' ambition to be a noble and a knight. He decided that battle was a good place to win prestige and honour, and his time came when Assisi declared war on the nearby town of Perugia. Francis was captured, imprisoned and ransomed after a year. After a call for knights was made for the Fourth Crusade, he volunteered — but on his way he had a dream that turned him around, sending him home.

On his return to Assisi, he began to spend more time in prayer. One day when he met a leper, Francis — who was repulsed by the leper's appearance and smell — kissed his hand and was filled with overwhelming joy. He visited San Damiano where he heard Christ on the Crucifix say to him: “Francis, repair my church.” So he started rebuilding the church, even selling his father's cloth to fund the work.

People started joining him in his way of life, though he never sought this. This led to the foundation of a Religious Order that now has brothers and sisters living together in community, working in service of the poor all over the world.

After many years of struggle and service, Francis began to go blind and received the stigmata. He died on 3 October, 1226. His feast day is October 4. He was canonized on July 16, 1228 — aged just 45.