One of the most popular saints in Church History, Francis of Assisi, died on October 3, 1226. Thus we remember the 800th anniversary of his death this year.
Francis (real name: Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone) was born into a noble family around 1181 in Assisi and died in the same place. Assisi is a town located in Umbria, the only landlocked Italian region.
Assisi, Italy. Image by Michael Jones, CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0, here.
The life of St. Francis is fairly well-known and I don’t want to repeat it in detail, I will merely mention a few notable facts. In this article, I am using two well-known medieval biographies of Francis. The first was written by Thomas of Celano (Tommaso da Celano), and the other, called “Little Flowers of St. Francis”, by Ugolino Brunforte, both Franciscan monks.
Meeting with the Sultan of Egypt
The event from the life of St. Francis, which offends modern sensibilities the most, is the incident, where he met the Sultan of Egypt, Al-Kamil, in 1219. Thomas of Celano writes:
“[I]n the thirteenth year of his conversion, when severe and daily combats were raging between Christians and pagans, he took a companion with him and went to the regions of Syria ; nor did he fear to present himself to the sight of the Soldan of the Saracens. But who can tell with what stedfastness of mind he stood before him, with what power of spirit he spoke to him, with what eloquence and confidence he answered those who were reviling the Christian law? For before he came to the Soldan he had been seized by the [Soldan’s] associates, insulted and beaten, yet was he not afraid, nor feared the threat of torments, nor blenched at the menace of death. But though he was shamefully treated by many who were moved with bitter hostility and dislike, he was most honourably received by the Soldan. For he paid him what honour he could and tried to sway his mind toward worldly riches by the offer of many gifts. But when the Soldan saw that he most stoutly held all such things in contempt like dung, he was filled with the utmost amazement and gazed on him as a man unlike almost all men. He was deeply stirred by his words and heard him very willingly” (p. 55-56)
A few paragraphs back, Thomas writes that the goal of Francis was to “to pass over to the regions of Syria to preach the Christian faith, and repentance to the Saracens and the other unbelievers”. (p. 54)
Preaching to the birds
“During the time when (as has been said) U many joined themselves to the brethren the most blessed father Francis was journeying through the valley of Spoleto, and came to a spot near Bevagna where a very great number of birds of different sorts were gathered together, viz., doves, rooks and those other birds that are called in the vulgar tongue monades. When he saw them, being a man of the most fervent temper and also very tender and affectionate toward all the lower and irrational creatures, Francis the most blessed servant of God left his companions in the way and ran eagerly toward the birds. When he was come close to them and saw that they were awaiting him, he gave them his accustomed greeting. But, not a little surprised that the birds did not fly away (as they are wont to do) he was filled with exceeding joy and humbly begged them to hear the word of God : and, after saying many things to them he added : ‘My brother birds, much ought ye to praise your Creator, and ever to love Him who has given you feathers for clothing, wings for flight, and all that ye had need of. God has made you noble among His creatures, for He has given you a habitation in the purity of the air, and, whereas ye neither sow nor reap, He Himself doth still protect and govern you without any care of your own.’ On this (as he himself and the brethren who had been with him used to say) those little birds rejoicing in wondrous fashion, after their nature, began to stretch out their necks, to spread their wings, to open their beaks and to gaze on him. And then he went to and fro amidst them, touching their heads and bodies with his tunic. At length he blessed them, and, having made the sign of the cross, gave them leave to fly away to another place. But the blessed father went on his way with his companions, rejoicing and giving thanks to God Whom all creatures humbly acknowledge and revere.” (p. 57-58)
A mosaic of St. Francis in Krakow. Image by Jan Mehlich, CC-BY-SA 2.5, here.
And what topics did Francis preach about? His contemporaries also recorded what he preached to people. Ugolino quotes Francis as saying things like:
“Love and fear God, and do worthy penance for your sins.” (p. 266)
“Do not be in haste, and do not go hence, and I will order that which you must do for the salvation of your souls” (p. 51)
To his brother friars, he said: “‘My sons, great are the things promised to us from God: yea, too, great things are promised to us, if we observe that which we have promised to Him. Brief are the delights of this world; the pain which follows after them is perpetual: little are the pains of this life; but the glory of the other life is infinite.’” (p. 58)
Ugolino describes how Francis preached to a town, after he tamed a wolf and ordered it to follow him: “And all the people being gathered together, St Francis got up to preach, telling them amongst other things how it was on account of sin that God permitted such calamities, and also pestilences. ‘Much more terrible,’ he said, ‘are the flames of hell which the damned will have to endure eternally, than the fangs of the wolf which cannot destroy more than the body. How much more then are the jaws of hell to be feared, when we see so many held in terror by the jaws of a little animal! Turn therefore, beloved, to God, and do worthy penance for your sins, and God will deliver you now from the fires of hell.’” (p. 70)
Introducing nativity scenes
St. Francis is also known for introducing the custom of nativity scenes. Three years before his death in the village of Greccio, he created a living nativity scene with animals, but without actors. Francis sought and received the permission of Pope Honorius III for his nativity scene.
The inanimate nativity scenes we know today started with the first nativity scene commissioned by Pope Nicholas IV in 1288.
Legacy
Saint Francis of Assisi was nominated the patron saint of Italy, along with Saint Catherine of Siena. In addition, Saint Francis is the patron saint of the Franciscan Order, animals, numerous cities and dioceses, and against dying alone, among other things.
San Francisco, the fourth largest city in California, was named after Francis by the Spanish settlers at the end of the 18th century. California was the home of Franciscan missions from the 18th century onward, which had the aim of converting the Indians.
Misusing Francis
During the last decades, misuse of the name of Saint Francis of Assisi became very common. He is being used as a “harmless saint” to promote climate change and he is being portrayed as a “medieval hippie”.
Misquotation
One of the most outrageous misquotations is this quote attributed to St. Francis: “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.” This quote is being used to justify the mentality to cease spreading the Gospel and claim that the “witness” of Christians is good enough.
Catholic Answers apologist Trent Horn made a video on this topic and he points out that this false quote only appeared at the end of the 20th century.
Liberation theology
“Liberation theology” was a movement in Latin America in the 20th century, which was essentially Marxism with a very thin Catholic facade.
Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian Catholic priest who left the priesthood, wrote a book with the title “São Francisco de Assis: Temura e Vigor”, which was translated as “Saint Francis: A Model for Human Liberation”. In this book, he claims that Francis is the model for “integral liberation” of humanity, especially of the poor.
Boff was a great supporter of “Pope Francis” and “Francis” allegedly asked him to provide input for his encyclical “Laudato si”.
“Pope Francis”
The most grave abuse of this saint happened when the Argentinian Jorge Bergoglio became “Pope Francis”.
“Francis” claimed in his encylclical Laudato si, dedicated to climate change: “I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians.” (10)
For Bergoglio, St. Francis stands for “integral ecology”, whatever that means.
“He was particularly concerned for God’s creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.” (10)
What about spreading the Gospel? St. Francis didn’t shy away from warning his listeners of the very real danger of hellfire.
As regards to non-Christians: the sultan was very impressed when this friar came to him, trying to spread the Gospel, knowing that he was in danger of death doing so. According to Ugolino, the sultan converted before his death.