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CRIME & SCANDAL St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi Biography
Saint (c. 1181–1226)
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QUICK FACTS
NAME
St. Francis of Assisi
OCCUPATION
Saint
BIRTH DATE
c. 1181
DEATH DATE
October 3, 1226
PLACE OF BIRTH
Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy
PLACE OF DEATH
Assisi, Italy
BAPTIZED
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone
AKA
St. Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis
San Francesco d'Assisi
St. Francis
GIVEN
Francesco di Pietro di Bernardone
FULL NAME
Saint Francis of Assisi
SYNOPSIS
EARLY LIFE OF LUXURY
WAR AND IMPRISONMENT
AFTER THE WAR
DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY
DEATH AND LEGACY CITE THIS PAGE St. Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. He is the patron saint for ecologists. IN THESE GROUPS FAMOUS CATHOLICS FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO DIED IN ASSISI FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO DIED ON OCTOBER 3 FAMOUS PEOPLE BORN IN ASSISI, DUCHY OF SPOLETO Show All Groups Synopsis Born in Italy circa 1181, St. Francis of Assisi was renowned for drinking and partying in his youth. After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom. He spent nearly a year in prison—awaiting his father's payment—and, according to legend, began receiving visions from God. 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. Consequently, he abandoned his life of luxury and became a devotee of the faith, his reputation spreading all over the Christian world. 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. He was canonized as a saint on July 16, 1228. Today, St. Francis of Assisi has had a lasting resonance with millions of followers across the globe. Early Life of Luxury Born circa 1181, in Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy, St. …show more content…
Francis of Assisi, though revered today, began his life as a confirmed sinner. His father was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and his mother was a beautiful Frenchwoman. Francis was not in want during his youth; he was spoiled, indulging himself with fine food, wine, and wild celebrations. By age 14, he had left school and become known as a rebellious teenager who frequently drank, partied and broke the city curfew. He was also known for his charm and vanity.
In these privileged surroundings, Francis of Assisi learned the skills of archery, wrestling and horsemanship. He was expected to follow his father into the family textile business but was bored by the prospect of life in the cloth trade. 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. It wouldn't be long before the opportunity for warfare beckoned.
In 1202, war broke between Assisi and Perugia, and Francis eagerly took his place with the cavalry. Little did he know at the time, his experience with war would change him forever. War and Imprisonment Francis and the men of Assisi came under heavy attack, and in the face of superior numbers, they took flight. The whole battlefield was soon covered with the bodies of butchered, mutilated men, screaming in agony. Most of the surviving Assisi troops were immediately put to death. Unskilled and with no combat experience, Francis was quickly captured by enemy soldiers. 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. He and the other wealthy troops were taken as prisoners, led off to a dank underground cell. 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. Also during this time, he would later report, he began to receive
Biography
IN MEMORIAM
Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali Dies at 74
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Mark Wahlberg
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
NOSTALGIA
CELEBRITY
HISTORY & CULTURE
CRIME & SCANDAL St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi Biography
Saint (c. 1181–1226)
1K
SHARES
980
0
0
QUICK FACTS
NAME
St. Francis of Assisi
OCCUPATION
Saint
BIRTH DATE
c. 1181
DEATH DATE
October 3, 1226
PLACE OF BIRTH
Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy
PLACE OF DEATH
Assisi, Italy
BAPTIZED
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone
AKA
St. Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis
San Francesco d'Assisi
St. Francis
GIVEN
Francesco di Pietro di Bernardone
FULL NAME
Saint Francis of Assisi
SYNOPSIS
EARLY LIFE OF LUXURY
WAR AND IMPRISONMENT
AFTER THE WAR
DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY
DEATH AND LEGACY CITE THIS PAGE St. Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. He is the patron saint for ecologists. IN THESE GROUPS FAMOUS CATHOLICS FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO DIED IN ASSISI FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO DIED ON OCTOBER 3 FAMOUS PEOPLE BORN IN ASSISI, DUCHY OF SPOLETO Show All Groups Synopsis Born in Italy circa 1181, St. Francis of Assisi was renowned for drinking and partying in his youth. After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom. He spent nearly a year in prison—awaiting his father's payment—and, according to legend, began receiving visions from God. 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. Consequently, he abandoned his life of luxury and became a devotee of the faith, his reputation spreading all over the Christian world. 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. He was canonized as a saint on July 16, 1228. Today, St. Francis of Assisi has had a lasting resonance with millions of followers across the globe. Early Life of Luxury Born circa 1181, in Assisi, duchy of Spoleto, Italy, St. …show more content…
Francis of Assisi, though revered today, began his life as a confirmed sinner. His father was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and his mother was a beautiful Frenchwoman. Francis was not in want during his youth; he was spoiled, indulging himself with fine food, wine, and wild celebrations. By age 14, he had left school and become known as a rebellious teenager who frequently drank, partied and broke the city curfew. He was also known for his charm and vanity.
In these privileged surroundings, Francis of Assisi learned the skills of archery, wrestling and horsemanship. He was expected to follow his father into the family textile business but was bored by the prospect of life in the cloth trade. 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. It wouldn't be long before the opportunity for warfare beckoned.
In 1202, war broke between Assisi and Perugia, and Francis eagerly took his place with the cavalry. Little did he know at the time, his experience with war would change him forever. War and Imprisonment Francis and the men of Assisi came under heavy attack, and in the face of superior numbers, they took flight. The whole battlefield was soon covered with the bodies of butchered, mutilated men, screaming in agony. Most of the surviving Assisi troops were immediately put to death. Unskilled and with no combat experience, Francis was quickly captured by enemy soldiers. 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. He and the other wealthy troops were taken as prisoners, led off to a dank underground cell. 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. Also during this time, he would later report, he began to receive