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 grew up in Umbria in Italy with a rich merchant for a father, showing little interest in the business or in learning. He enjoyed the money he was given to spend on entertainment and fine clothes. He was known for his quick wit as well as his courteous behavior.
During a petty war between his town and another small town he became a prisoner for a full year. He also suffered some illness and slowly his thoughts turned more to things spiritual. A significant event at this time was when he gave all the money on him to a leper. He began devoting much attention to the poor and sick after this.
His beliefs eventually lead to him cutting himself off from his family and he wandered the highways, singing the praises of God and speaking to all about the love of God and the need for repentance. His beliefs were so sincere that a number of people started following him. One of his early disciples was a rich merchant who sold all his goods, gave the money to the poor and joined him.
Papal approval was eventually given to this band of brothers who were called the Friars Minor (Little Brothers). They believed that as followers of Christ, they too should have nowhere to lay their heads but when given the chapel of Porzuincola by the Benedictines, they accepted use the grounds for building some simple huts. This became the first Franciscan convent. It was not long before communities like this developed 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 grew up in Umbria in Italy with a rich merchant for a father, showing little interest in the business or in learning. He enjoyed the money he was given to spend on entertainment and fine clothes. He was known for his quick wit as well as his courteous behavior.
During a petty war between his town and another small town he became a prisoner for a full year. He also suffered some illness and slowly his thoughts turned more to things spiritual. A significant event at this time was when he gave all the money on him to a leper. He began devoting much attention to the poor and sick after this.
His beliefs eventually lead to him cutting himself off from his family and he wandered the highways, singing the praises of God and speaking to all about the love of God and the need for repentance. His beliefs were so sincere that a number of people started following him. One of his early disciples was a rich merchant who sold all his goods, gave the money to the poor and joined him.
Papal approval was eventually given to this band of brothers who were called the Friars Minor (Little Brothers). They believed that as followers of Christ, they too should have nowhere to lay their heads but when given the chapel of Porzuincola by the Benedictines, they accepted use the grounds for building some simple huts. This became the first Franciscan convent. It was not long before communities like this developed 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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