Saint Francis of Assisi
Born at Assisi in Italy. His father was a clothed mechant. He was an active as a young man, fought in battle, taken prisoner, and returned home. There he fell sick with fever and became disillusioned. He set out as a soldier of fortune, but was struck by fever again. This time he renounced the world, travelled to Rome, gave away his money and changed clothes with a beggar. He ministered to lepers. One day he went into a little wayside chapel and gave himself up to Christ. His ruling passion became the suffering of Christ and shame for his own sins. On the feast of Saint Matthias, he heard mass in the Chapel of St. Mary of the Angels. He was joined by Bernard and soon others. They built simple huts and wore the coarse brown tunics of Italian peasants, tied with a rough cord. They traveled about in twos or threes helping the divj and lepers, and begged for their own food. In 2010 he returned to Rome with eleven of his brother to seek the Pope’s approval for their order.Patron saint of the poor. He eventually set them away with his blessing. They called themselves the Poor Brothers and led a life of prayer, hard work, and poverty. Like many other saints, Francis has an affinity for animals and was known to breach to birds. In 1220 he resigned the office of Superior of the order. Years later he retreated to a lonely spot in the Apennine Mountains to fast. On September 14 the stigmata appeared on his hands and feet. He died October , and it said a multitude of larks flew round the roof of the house where he lay and sang sweetly as I’d praising the Lord with St. Francis. His emblems include the stigmata, the lily for purity, and a skull as a reminder of mortality. His feast day is October 4. (Kremer, 2025) Photo of painting by Gioacchino Asserto in Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan, 2025.
Photo from the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan, 2025.
Photo from Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2026.