EARLY LIFE.
Francis was born in town called Assisi in the year 1181, in the country Italy. His father was Pietro Di Bernadone dei Moriconi and his Mother was Pica de Bourlemone. He grew up living a very privileged life as the son of a wealthy silk merchant. Francis loved to learn and sing songs as a boy though growing up, his fathers’ dream was for Francis to become a knight.
FRANCIS AS A KNIGHT
At the age of 19, Francis went to the battle against the nearby town of Perugia, of which they lost. He was captured and taken prisoner, during his imprisonment, Francis fell ill and it caused him to re-evaluate his life and seek to find out his purpose in life, stayed a prisoner for a year before his father managed to pay a ransom for his freedom.
Conversion of St. Francis and the virtue he embraced.
Over the next few years, Francis gradually began to detach himself from worldly activities such as parties and sports, he began to have visions from God that changed his life. The first vision was when he was in battles with other towns, he first thought that God had called him to fight in the crusade however, the visions directed him to help the sick and poor. He continued to detach himself and began to talk of having found hidden treasure and a woman to marry (which was lady poverty). The turning point was when Francis was praying in ruins of the forsaken country chapel of San Damiano, in which the Icon of Christ Crucified said to him, “Francis, Francis, go and repair My church which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.” This got Francis to begin literally re-building the San Damiano church, he collected his fathers’ riches and offered it to use in rebuilding and the priest had refused to accept the ill-gotten gains and Francis threw the money away. In his quest to rebuild the church Francis had renounced his father and his inheritance, took on the vow of poverty and focused on rebuilding San Damiano. After rebuilding San Damiano and other nearby churches in the course of 2 years, Francis then realized that he was not meant to re-build the church physically alone but to rebuild in the physical and spiritual perspective. Thus the beginning of the works of St. Francis of Assisi of preaching and helping the poor. He later on died in the year 1226. (Aged approximately 44 years).
Francis’ love of nature (Ecology)
Francis was known for his love of nature and animals. There are many stories about him and his preaching to animals. It is said that one day, he was talking to some birds, when they began to sing together, then they flew in the sky and made a cross. It was also said that Francis could tame wild animals, one story tells of the vicious wolf in the town of Gubbio, that was killing people and sheep, the people of that town were frightened and didn’t know what to do. Francis went to the town to confront the wolf. At first the wolf growled at Francis and prepared to attack him, however he made the sign of the cross and told the wolf not to eat any one, the wolf then was tamed and the town was safe.
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