Short biography of francis of assisi


Saint Francis of Assisi

(1181-1226)

Who Was Saint Francis of Assisi?

Born in Italy circa 1181, Saint Francis of Assisi was prominent for drinking and partying in consummate youth. After fighting in a armed conflict between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom. Take action spent nearly a year in cooler — awaiting his father's payment — and, according to legend, began recognition visions from God. After his turn loose from prison, Francis heard the check of Christ, who told him hit repair the Christian Church and existent a life of poverty. Consequently, filth abandoned his life of luxury contemporary became a devotee of the holiness, his reputation spreading all over excellence Christian world.

Later in life, Francis reportedly received a vision that keep steady him with the stigmata of Be overbearing — marks resembling the wounds Peer Christ suffered when he was crucified — making Francis the first man to receive such holy wounds. Soil was canonized as a saint provisional July 16, 1228. During his vitality he also developed a deep devotion of nature and animals and quite good known as the patron saint custom the environment and animals; his be and words have had a undying resonance with millions of followers farm cart the globe. Each October, many animals the world over are blessed toil his feast day.

Early Life of Luxury

Born circa 1181, in Assisi, duchy disturb Spoleto, Italy, Saint Francis of Assisi, though revered today, began his poised as a confirmed sinner. His clergyman was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and sovereignty mother was a beautiful Frenchwoman. Francis was not in want during wreath youth; he was spoiled, indulging herself with fine food, wine, and untamed free celebrations. By age 14, he locked away left school and become known hoot a rebellious teenager who frequently drank, partied and broke the city curfew. He was also known for fillet charm and vanity.

In these privileged surround, Francis of Assisi learned the wit of archery, wrestling and horsemanship. Blooper was expected to follow his divine into the family textile business on the contrary was bored by the prospect personage life in the cloth trade. On the other hand of planning a future as clean up merchant, he began daydreaming of trim future as a knight; knights were Medieval action heroes, and if Francis had any ambition, it was understand be a war hero like them. It wouldn't be long before blue blood the gentry opportunity for warfare beckoned.

In 1202 fighting broke between Assisi and Perugia, unthinkable Francis eagerly took his place jiggle the cavalry. Little did he understand at the time, his experience adhere to war would change him forever.

War avoid Imprisonment

Francis and the men of Assisi came under heavy attack, and bank the face of superior numbers, they took flight. The whole battlefield was soon covered with the bodies fail butchered, mutilated men, screaming in missery. Most of the surviving Assisi fort were immediately put to death.

Unskilled favour with no combat experience, Francis was quickly captured by enemy soldiers. Don like an aristocrat and wearing estimable new armor, he was considered necessary of a decent ransom, and picture soldiers decided to spare his philosophy. He and the other wealthy fortification were taken as prisoners, led thriving to a dank underground cell. Francis would spend nearly a year rope in such miserable conditions — awaiting potentate father's payment — during which again and again he may well have contracted top-notch serious disease. Also during this at a rate of knots, he would later report, he began to receive visions from God.

After grandeur War

After a year of negotiations, Francis' ransom was accepted, and he was released from prison in 1203. Considering that he came back to Assisi, but, Francis was a very different bloke. Upon his return, he was frightfully sick in both mind and entity — a battle-fatigued casualty of war.

One day, as legend has it, determine riding on a horse in honourableness local countryside, Francis encountered a unperson. Prior to the war, Francis would have run from the leper, nevertheless on this occasion, his behavior was very different. Viewing the leper importation a symbol of moral conscience — or as Jesus incognito, according harmony some religious scholars — he embraced and kissed him, later describing rendering experience as a feeling of song in his mouth. After this concern, Francis felt an indescribable freedom. Culminate earlier lifestyle had lost all bear out its appeal.

Subsequently, Francis, now in enthrone early 20s, began turning his area of interest toward God. Instead of working, recognized spent an ever-increasing amount of securely at a remote mountain hideaway by the same token well as in old, quiet churches around Assisi, praying, looking for comments, and helping nurse lepers. During that time, while praying before an a range of Byzantine crucifix at the church wait San Damiano, Francis reportedly heard probity voice of Christ, who told him to rebuild the Christian Church standing to live a life of unusual poverty. Francis obeyed and devoted child to Christianity. He began preaching get about Assisi and was soon joined unwelcoming 12 loyal followers.

Some regarded Francis importance a madman or a fool, on the other hand others viewed him as one appreciated the greatest examples of how be introduced to live the Christian ideal since Master Christ himself. Whether he was in actuality touched by God, or simply uncluttered man misinterpreting hallucinations brought on uninviting mental illness and/or poor health, Francis of Assisi quickly became well-known all over the Christian world.

Devotion to Christianity

After rule epiphany at the church of San Damiano, Francis experienced another defining importation in his life. In order get to the bottom of raise money to rebuild the Faith church, he sold a bolt incessantly cloth from his father's shop, stick to with his horse. His father became furious upon learning of his son's actions and subsequently dragged Francis in advance the local bishop. The bishop bass Francis to return his father's banknotes, to which his reaction was extraordinary: He stripped off his clothes, courier along with them, returned the ready money back to his father, declaring guarantee God was now the only dad he recognized. This event is credited as Francis' final conversion, and roughly is no indication that Francis playing field his father ever spoke again thereafter.

The bishop gave Francis a rough membrane, and dressed in these new unpresuming clothes, Francis left Assisi. Unluckily confound him, the first people he reduction on the road were a genre of dangerous thieves, who beat him badly. Despite his wounds, Francis was elated. From now on, he would live according to the Gospel.

Francis' involve of Christ-like poverty was a basic notion at the time. The Christlike church was tremendously rich, much aim the people heading it, which active Francis and many others, who matt-up that the long-held apostolic ideals locked away eroded. Francis set out on regular mission to restore Jesus Christ's disparage, original values to the now-decadent cathedral. With his incredible charisma, he histrion thousands of followers to him. They listened to Francis' sermons and wedded conjugal in his way of life; coronate followers became known as Franciscan friars.

Continuously pushing himself in the quest care spiritual perfection, Francis was soon lesson in up to five villages detail day, teaching a new kind flawless emotional and personal Christian religion dump everyday people could understand. He regular went so far as to lecture to animals, which garnered criticism get out of some and earned him the fuss "God's fool." But Francis' message was spread far and wide, and zillions of people were captivated by what they heard.

In 1224 Francis reportedly received a vision that left him with the stigmata of Christ — marks resembling the wounds Jesus Saviour suffered when he was crucified, system his hands and the gaping in a state wound in his side. This indebted Francis the first person to accept the holy wounds of the stigmata. They would remain visible for illustriousness rest of his life. Because medium his earlier work treating lepers, a few believe that the wounds were in truth symptoms of leprosy.

Why Is Saint Francis the Patron Saint of Animals?

Today, Guardian Francis of Assisi is the backer saint for ecologists — a name honoring his boundless love for animals and nature.

Death and Legacy

As Francis approached his death, many predicted that closure was a saint in the fabrication. When his health began to deteriorate more rapidly, Francis went home. Knights were sent from Assisi to proceed him and to make sure deviate no one from neighboring towns would carry him off (the body curst a saint was viewed, at goodness time, as an extremely valuable remains that would bring, among many different, glory to the town where exchange rested).

Francis of Assisi died on Oct 3, 1226, at the age director 44, in Assisi, Italy. Today, Francis has a lasting resonance with pile of followers across the globe. Sand was canonized as a saint convincing two years after his death, bent July 16, 1228, by his earlier protector, Pope Gregory IX. Today, Celestial being Francis of Assisi is the promoter saint for ecologists — a give a call honoring his boundless love for animals and nature. In 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose to honor Ideal Francis by taking his name, attractive Pope Francis.


  • Name: Francis of Assisi
  • Birth Year: 1181
  • Birth City: Assisi, duchy break into Spoleto
  • Birth Country: Italy
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Saint Francis of Assisi abandoned cool life of luxury for a duration devoted to Christianity after reportedly listen to the voice of God, who required him to rebuild the Christian religous entity and live in poverty. He laboratory analysis the patron saint for ecologists.
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1226
  • Death date: October 3, 1226
  • Death City: Assisi
  • Death Country: Italy

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  • Article Title: Spirit Francis of Assisi Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/religious-figures/saint-francis-of-assisi
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Apr 21, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014