St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi (1181 or 1182-1226)

By Brian Fox Ellis
Sponsored by the Kemme Foundation

Essay

Who was this blessed little poor man from Assisi? And why do people of so many faiths claim him as their own? Even many atheists venerate Saint Francis as an inspiration for the environmental movement.

Francis was born the son of a very wealthy cloth merchant. His father travelled Europe selling the best silk, wool and linen to dukes and barons, bishops and kings. It was on one of these journeys that he met and married a French woman, marrying above his station. Their only son was named Francis because of her French lineage. But he was not of the noble class. He thought that if his son could win the family honor during the crusades, the family name could be elevated to nobility. The plan backfired when Francis was captured by the enemy and held for ransom. This humiliation and the subsequent illness was part of Francis’ personal transformation to a life of service, service to his Lord and service to the poor. When Francis went to the Vatican to receive the blessings of the Pope, Pope Gregory had a dream in which the church was crumbling, but this wandering mendicant from Assisi was shown in his vision to be a pillar holding up the church.

When most folks think about Saint Francis of Assisi there is this romantic image of his sermon to the birds.While he is the patron saint of birds, and gardens, and ecology, there is no doubt he was also one of the most influential voices in Europe in the thirteen century. Some scholars have gone so far as to claim he single handedly brought Europe out of the dark ages and gave birth to the Renaissance.

Because he was one of the first Europeans to write poetry that was in the common vernacular of Italian, not Latin, he was a direct influence on Dante’s The Inferno. Folk singers and poets from Goethe to Dostoevsky, Franz Liszt to Donovan draw inspiration from the life of Francis. His influence is seen throughout western art and literature, music and culture. Giotto, the first Italian painter to paint three-dimensional frescos, painted the Basilica of Saint Francis. Giotto was a mentor to both Leonardo De Vinci and Michelangelo. Francis was also inspiration to El Greco, Albrecht Durer and many western artist down through the ages.

He is the patron saint of peace and justice. Because he was the first to create a religious order dedicated to serving the poor and downtrodden, he has been an inspiration to generations of social justice pioneers and peace workers including Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Almost every denomination of Christianity, even those that have thrown out the saints, still revere Francis. Why even modern Hindus claim him as an incarnation of Krishna.

Resources for Children

Francis Brother of the Universe. Marvel Comic Group, 1980.

De Paola, Tomie. Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi. Holiday House Publishers, 1982.

Brian Fox Ellis

Brian “Fox” Ellis is an internationally acclaimed author, storyteller, historian, and naturalist. He has worked with The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, The Field Museum and dozens of other museums across the country. Fox has been a featured speaker at Chautauquas across the country and in the past five years has created Illinois’ Prairie State Touring Chautauqua. Fox is also the Artistic Director for Prairie Folklore Theatre, a unique theatre company that celebrates ecology and history through original musical theatre productions. He is the author of 16 books including the critically acclaimed Learning From the Land: Teaching Ecology Through Stories and Activities, (Libraries Unlimited, 2011), the award winning children’s picture book The Web at Dragonfly Pond, (DAWN Publications, 2006) and Content Area Reading, Writing and Storytelling (Teacher Ideas Press 2010). Many of his stories are also available on one of 12 CDs.

Bullet Points

When most folks think about Saint Francis of Assisi, there is this romantic image of his sermon to the birds. While he is the patron saint of birds, and gardens and ecology, there is no doubt he was also one of the most influential voices of Europe in the thirteen century. Some scholars have gone so far as to claim he single handedly brought Europe out of the dark ages and gave birth to the Renaissance.
St. Francis was the first to create a religious order dedicated to public work and serve an inspiration to generations of social justice pioneers and peace workers including Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
From Goethe to Dostoevsky, Franz Liszt to Donovan the life of Francis has inspired and influence western art and literature, music and culture. Nearly every denomination of Christianity that has thrown out the saints still reveres Francis. Why even modern Hindus claim him as an incarnation of Krishna.

Quotes

“Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.” St. Francis of Assisi

Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. – St. Francis of Assisi

“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.

Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.” St. Francis of Assisi

“We are all creatures of one family.” St. Francis of Assisi

“Those who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity will deal likewise with their fellow man.” St. Francis of Assisi

Timeline

1181 or 1182
Called Francesco by his father he is born and christened Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone.

1202
At 20 years of age Francis is captured and held prisoner in a regional war with Perugia.

1203 – 1204
Francis is ransomed and returns home very ill with a long convalescents.

1205
Francis joins the Crusades, but has a troubling vision, returns home in disgrace. He visits the ruins of an old church and hears the cross of San Damiano speak to him, rebuild my church!

1206
Francis renounces his earthly father and gives his life to God. In the next few years he rebuilds three churches. Other disaffected young men join him in his life of simplicity. The Friar Minors, or ‘little brothers’ preach penance and service. Within a few years this order grows to several hundred members and send missions throughout Europe and the Mideast.

1212
Saint Clare, a life long friend of Francis, takes her Holy Vows from Francis and the Friar Minors, founding the Sisters of Clare, cloistered nuns who dedicate their life to our Lord.

1219
Francis sets sail across the Mediterranean to the Holy Land where he meets the Sultan. Though he does not convert this Muslim to Christianity as the Sultan had hoped, the two part as friends and the Sultan gives Francis safe passage home.

1220
Future Pope Gregory IX, Cardinal Hugolino, becomes the Holy Protector of the Order of Franciscans.

1223
Francis celebrates the Nativity at the cave at Greccio.

1224
Francis receives the wounds of Christ, The Stigmata, at La Verna.

1225
With worsening illness he retreats to San Damiano where the Sisters of Clare care for him. He writes the Canticle of the Creatures.

1226
Francis asks a cricket to sing for him to ease his pains. The cricket sings for three days. Francis admonishes the cricket to cease and go to its family. Francis returns to his Lord.

1228
A cathedral that often takes a century to erect is built within a few years as Europe pours out its praise for this Holy Saint, canonized by his friend Pope Gregory IX.

High Plains Chautauqua