Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) Feast Day 4 th October

Saint Francis was an Italian Catholic Friar, deacon and preacher. He founded the men’s order of Friar Minor, the women’s Order of saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. He is one of the most venerated religious figures in Christianity.

He was born in 1181 in Assisi Italy. He enjoyed life until 1202 when he had a serious illness which changed his behaviour. He turned to God and spent his time and money on helping the poor and sick people especially those with leprosy.
In 1209 he started to live like a hermit- he lived in a hovel near the church he was rebuilding.

In 1210, with eleven friends, he went to see Pope Innocent 111. They were officially recognised - it was the beginning of the Franciscan Order - now world wide.

1217 saw him involved with the Crusades He preached in the Saracens camp and spoke with Sultan. He attempted to make a truce with the Christians and Muslims.

He decided in 1220 to give up the leadership of the Order. His health began to fail but his joyful spirit never failed. He had frequent visions and received the Stigmata - marks on his hands, feet and side in his own flesh.

Before he died in 1226 he composed the Canticle of the Sun. Saint Francis was known for his love of nature and animals. He was canonized in 1228, just two years after his death.

There is a great deal of information to found about him. Wikipedia gives him 22 pages. I have put together a mixture of different types of data. Ducksters gives children an outline of his life. !2 interesting questions are asked and answered. I have included a translation of the* Canticle of the Sun.*

Sources used wikipedia
* The Church’s Year* Charles Alexander
Encyclopedia.com
Canticle of the Sun
Biographies for Kids
Catholic Encyclopedia