St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved and celebrated figures in the history of Christianity, a universal symbol of peace, poverty, and dialogue with nature. His life, marked by a radical conversion and an immense spiritual impact, continues to inspire millions of people.
Who was St. Francis of Assisi? Life, Conversion, and Works
Born in Assisi around 1182, Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, known as Francis, spent a privileged youth. The son of a wealthy cloth merchant, he dreamed of chivalrous glory, as narrated in the fresco of the Dream of the Arms (30) in the Upper Basilica of Assisi.
His life changed radically following a spiritual experience. The turning point was the encounter with a leper, to whom he gave his clothes (St. Francis Gives his Mantle to a Poor Man, 29), followed by the invitation he received from the Crucifix of San Damiano: “Go, Francis, repair my house which is falling into ruin” (Francis Praying at San Damiano, 31).
This led him to a choice of absolute poverty and, symbolically, to the renunciation of his paternal possessions before the Bishop of Assisi (St. Francis Renounces his Earthly Goods, 32). His “purpose of life,” based on the Gospel, was approved by Pope Innocent III in 1209 (The Approval of the Rule, 34), a crucial event that the Giotto tradition also describes as a dream of the pontiff, in which Francis supports the Lateran Basilica, symbol of the Church (The Dream of Innocent III, 33).
From this, the Order of Friars Minor was born. The Saint’s deeds and spirituality are splendidly narrated in the 28 large frescoes of the Upper Basilica, which the historian Adolfo Venturi called “the most beautiful house of prayer that exists in the world,” based on the Legenda Maior by St. Bonaventure.
The Miracles of St. Francis and his Spiritual Impact
Francis is remembered for his humility and for the numerous miracles of St. Francis, which testify to his holiness and intimate connection with the divine. Among the most famous episodes are the Sermon to the Birds (42) and the Miracle of the Spring (41), where he made water gush from the rock for a thirsty donkey-driver.
His devotion led him to recreate Christmas at Greccio, setting up the first Nativity scene in history (The Nativity at Greccio, 40), and to perform acts of courage like the Trial by Fire (38) before the Sultan.
The highest sign of his union with Christ was receiving the stigmata on Mount La Verna in 1224 (St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 46), making him, as Dante wrote, the one who “from Christ took the final seal.”
St. Francis’s Illness and the Last Years of his Life
In his final years, Francis suffered from various infirmities that undermined his body. What disease did St. Francis of Assisi die of? Although there is no single definitive diagnosis, he suffered from severe ophthalmia (an eye disease that led him almost to blindness), gastrointestinal problems, malaria, and the wounds of the stigmata.
He died on October 3, 1226, at the age of 44, at the Porziuncola. His death was accompanied by visions and prodigies (The Death of St. Francis, 47; The Vision of Friar Augustine and Bishop Guido, 48), and the stigmata were examined by celebrated doctors (The Examination of the Stigmata, 49).
When is St. Francis of Assisi celebrated?
The Saint was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on July 16, 1228 (The Canonization of Francis, 51) and his liturgical memorial is celebrated every year on October 4. On this day, Assisi and all of Italy, of which he is the Patron Saint, are brought to life with solemn celebrations, in honour of the figure who embodied true “joyful poverty” and unconditional love for every creature.
Do you want to know more about St. Francis? Visit the Basilica in Assisi