![]() Some regarded Francis as a madman or a fool, but others viewed him as one of the greatest examples of how to live the Christian ideal since Jesus Christ himself. He began preaching around Assisi and was soon joined by 12 loyal followers. Francis obeyed and devoted himself to Christianity. During this time, while praying before an old Byzantine crucifix at the church of San Damiano, Francis reportedly heard the voice of Christ, who told him to rebuild the Christian Church and to live a life of extreme poverty. Instead of working, he spent an ever-increasing amount of time at a remote mountain hideaway as well as in old, quiet churches around Assisi, praying, looking for answers, and helping nurse lepers. Subsequently, Francis, now in his early 20s, began turning his focus toward God. His earlier lifestyle had lost all of its appeal. After this incident, Francis felt an indescribable freedom. Viewing the leper as a symbol of moral conscience - or as Jesus incognito, according to some religious scholars - he embraced and kissed him, later describing the experience as a feeling of sweetness in his mouth. Prior to the war, Francis would have run from the leper, but on this occasion, his behavior was very different. One day, as legend has it, while riding on a horse in the local countryside, Francis encountered a leper. Upon his return, he was dangerously sick in both mind and body - a battle-fatigued casualty of war. When he came back to Assisi, however, Francis was a very different man. After the WarĪfter a year of negotiations, Francis' ransom was accepted, and he was released from prison in 1203. Also during this time, he would later report, he began to receive visions from God. Francis would spend nearly a year in such miserable conditions - awaiting his father's payment - during which time he may well have contracted a serious disease. He and the other wealthy troops were taken as prisoners, led off to a dank underground cell. Dressed like an aristocrat and wearing expensive new armor, he was considered worthy of a decent ransom, and the soldiers decided to spare his life. Unskilled and with no combat experience, Francis was quickly captured by enemy soldiers. Most of the surviving Assisi troops were immediately put to death. The whole battlefield was soon covered with the bodies of butchered, mutilated men, screaming in agony. War and Imprisonmentįrancis and the men of Assisi came under heavy attack, and in the face of superior numbers, they took flight. Little did he know at the time, his experience with war would change him forever. In 1202 war broke between Assisi and Perugia, and Francis eagerly took his place with the cavalry. It wouldn't be long before the opportunity for warfare beckoned. Instead of planning a future as a merchant, he began daydreaming of a future as a knight knights were Medieval action heroes, and if Francis had any ambition, it was to be a war hero like them. He was expected to follow his father into the family textile business but was bored by the prospect of life in the cloth trade. In these privileged surroundings, Francis of Assisi learned the skills of archery, wrestling and horsemanship. He was also known for his charm and vanity. ![]() By age 14, he had left school and become known as a rebellious teenager who frequently drank, partied and broke the city curfew. Francis was not in want during his youth he was spoiled, indulging himself with fine food, wine, and wild celebrations. His father was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and his mother was a beautiful Frenchwoman. Early Life of Luxuryīorn circa 1181, in Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy, Saint Francis of Assisi, though revered today, began his life as a confirmed sinner. Each October, many animals the world over are blessed on his feast day. During his life he also developed a deep love of nature and animals and is known as the patron saint of the environment and animals his life and words have had a lasting resonance with millions of followers across the globe. He was canonized as a saint on July 16, 1228. Later in life, Francis reportedly received a vision that left him with the stigmata of Christ - marks resembling the wounds Jesus Christ suffered when he was crucified - making Francis the first person to receive such holy wounds. Consequently, he abandoned his life of luxury and became a devotee of the faith, his reputation spreading all over the Christian world. After his release from prison, Francis heard the voice of Christ, who told him to repair the Christian Church and live a life of poverty. He spent nearly a year in prison - awaiting his father's payment - and, according to legend, began receiving visions from God. After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom. (1181-1226) Who Was Saint Francis of Assisi?īorn in Italy circa 1181, Saint Francis of Assisi was renowned for drinking and partying in his youth.
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