Saint Francis of Assisi Biography

Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian deacon, Catholic friar, preacher, and mystic. He was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone and later venerated as Saint Francis of Assisi. He is viewed as one of the highly respected religious figures that existed in Christianity. Francis was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on the 16th of July, 1228. Besides Catherine of Siena, he got the designation of an Italian patron saint. Later, he linked himself with the natural environment and the patronage of animals. Francis is hugely popular for his love and respect for the Eucharist. 

Some people thought St Francis to be delusional and a fool, whereas according to some, he was one of the greatest instances of living the ideals of the Christians since Jesus Christ. No matter whether he was touched by madness or God, he was always popular throughout the world of Christians. Due to Francis’s attention to animals, the church knew him as the patron martyr of animals. 

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Childhood of Francis or Where is Saint Francis born?

Assisi was the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. Francis’s father was a rich cloth merchant, and he was an owner of farmland around Assisi. His mother was a pretty Frenchwoman. Francis spent a rich and easy life due to the wealth his father had. Right from the start, he was a lovable boy, and everyone loved him. He was charming, happy, and had the traits of a leader. Whenever he got ill, people took excellent care of him. Again, if he had been picky, people pardoned him. Even if he didn’t fare well in school, no one seemed to mind. No one attempted to teach or control him.

How did Francis spend his Youth?

During his youth, St Francis was spoiled and had indulged himself with wine, good food, and big and fat celebrations. After he grew up, he turned into the leader of young people who loved wild parties and spent nights there. He loved French songs, the romance this country had, and particularly the free and daring French troubadours who wandered all through Europe.

When he attained the age of 14 years, he left school and became popular as a disobedient teenager who partied, drank, and broke the curfew of the city. However, he was also popular for his vanity and charm. Amidst this privileged environment, St Francis of Assisi learned the prowess of wrestling, horsemanship, and archery. He was supposed to follow his father and get involved in the textile business but he found the cloth trade to be a boring thing to do. 

And so, in place of planning to turn into a merchant, he started daydreaming of becoming a knight as knights were known to be medieval action heroes. Francis only dreamed of being a hero like knights. 

War with Perugia

In November 1202, Francis got a golden chance to turn into a hero due to a war that broke out between Perugia and Assisi. Francis was then 21 years old, and he joined the cavalry and set off to fight. As he was inexperienced and untrained, his enemies took him as a prisoner. Along with other men of Assisi, St Francis was attacked heavily, and as these men were in large numbers, they ran away. Soon, the entire battlefield got covered with many bodies of mutilated and butchered men who were screaming in agony. The majority of the surviving troops of Assisi were put to death immediately.

When Perugia soldiers saw his new armor and expensive dress, they demanded ransom for releasing him. He was also dashed into an unhealthy and dank prison at Collestrada. There, he remained locked up for nearly a year.

All this while, he was waiting for the ransom from his father. During this time only, Francis got his very first vision, though he was unaware of it. As he was living in a cold and damp atmosphere, he got afflicted with severe disease. By the time when the negotiation for his ransom became complete, he had changed altogether. 

Life of Service of Francis

Francis became certain that God wanted him to help the needy and poor people. And so, he deserted all his possessions. In the year 1208, at a mass, St Francis of Assisi heard a recording where Christ was telling his disciples to give up their worldly possessions and live a simple and modest life. Jesus Christ also taught them to sermon the Gospel to people who needed it badly and also restructure the Christian Church.

Francis required money to restructure the church, and for this purpose, he sold his father's clothes and a horse. He was also taken to the local bishop by his father, who told Francis to return the money to his father. Francis then took off his clothes and handed over to his father the money, saying that from now, God was his father. This event has got the credit of being the final conversion of Francis.

Seeing this, the bishop provided Francis a tunic, and he dressed himself up in these clothes for beginning his work. Numerous young men got inspiration from St. Francis for abandoning their possessions and also joining him, sleeping in huts or caves, working tirelessly with their hands, talking about the forgiveness and love of God, ministering to the poor, and praying to the Almighty. The remarkable thing is whoever met Francis turned into Francis' patron, and it included both animals and people. 

Miracles of Francis towards Animals

Francis treated animals like his sisters and brothers and always prayed that God would do his job through him to help them. At times, birds collected when Francis spoke and also listened to him. He preached to them about the different ways in which God had showered his blessings on them. While living in Gubbio, St Francis of Assisi saw that a wolf was violently attacking other animals and people, and then he confronted the wolf for taming it. Seeing this, the wolf charged Francis, but then he started praying and also turned towards the animal. 

The wolf obeyed the commands of Francis and closed his mouth. After this, he lay at the feet of Saint Francis. Seeing this, Francis promised that every townsperson would feed it if it promised not to injure other animals or people. The wolf never did harm other animals or people again.

Francis’ Love for People

One day when Francis was passing through the countryside, he confronted a leper. Though he was a man who was highly picky about food, loved beauty, and also despised deformity, he jumped down for kissing the leper’s hand. At the time when he got back his kiss of peace, his heart was filled with bliss. After riding off, he turned around to make the last wave but saw to his astonishment that the leper was not there. He always treated this experience as the Almighty’s test that he had gone through well. 

Death of Saint Francis of Assisi

While taking care of the sick and poor, Francis contracted malaria and conjunctivitis. Later, when Francis was impending death, he returned to Assisi. He was viewed as a saint that awaited only formal canonization, and so, knights were guarding him and ensuring that no one could carry him after his death. When Francis breathed his last on the 3rd of October, 1226, he was only 44 years. People present there saw some flock of larks that swooped near him and sang at his death.

Though Saint Francis lived a life of poverty, he continued to preach to people about Jesus Christ. Countless people turned to his followers and followed him. By the year 1209, he had nearly 11 followers. Francis was a highly devoted follower who followed the Catholic Church. He, along with his followers, traveled to Rome to get approval from the Pope. Initially, the pope emerged to be reluctant as these men smelled bad, were poor and dirty. However, afterward, he began to understand their promise of poverty. And so, he blessed the order.

Francis of Assisi, in his later life, received an apparition that left him disgraceful of Christ. These marks resembled the words that Christ suffered from at the time of his crucifixion. This made Francis the first person who received these holy wounds. Francis developed a strong love of animals and nature during his life and is recognized as the patron martyr of the animals and nature. His words and life left a long-lasting significance with countless followers who are spread all across the globe. Every October, numerous animals from all around the world get blessed on the feastday of st francis of assisi.