FabrizioSt. Francis of AssisiSt. Francis is considered a legendary hero and a popular saint. He was born in 1181, the middle of a time of great increases and expansions in the medieval West, in Assisi, the place where this was strongest. His parents were Pietro and Pica Bernardone.His father was a wealthy silk merchant. St. Francis spent his childhood in extravagant living and pleasure-seeking. He was always in trouble and ran around Assisi with his friends, eating, drinking, and having a good time. He went to war to fight for Assisi against Perugia and was taken prisoner in 1202. Eventually he was released and once again, returned to his old carefree ways. He became seriously ill for a while but thenreturned to the wars in 1205. He experienced a vision of Christ at Spoleto which was then followed by anothervision while he returned to Assisi. One vision was of Christ telling him, “Go and rebuild my church. It is falling down.” These visions are what changed his lifestyle forever.Despite his wealthy, comfortable life, St. Francis chose a life of poverty. He wore ragsand wooden shoes on his bare feet. His father became furious at this and threatened to disown him. Francis returned his father’s money and clothes that he had taken to helprebuild the church and severed relations with his father. St. Francis rebuilt San Damiano with money begged from his townsmen. Hewent on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1206, identifying himself with the poor and helping totake care of those who suffered from ‘leprosy’. For two or three years he lived alone, Page 2History 1010wandering. Eventually, seven disciples joined him. Some of them were older, some middle-aged, but they lived together as a community at the Portiuncula in Assisi, near aleper colony. Here, he devoted himself completely to his life’s work of po...
