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| S.Francis (San Francesco) |
 He was born between December 1181 and September 1182 from Pietro Bernardone dei Moriconi, a rich woven merchant and from Mrs. Pica Bourlemont. His first name was Giovanni (given by the mother).
The father returned from France changed the name to Francesco.
After a wild life until 25 (as a soldjer he was taken as prisoner by Perugia), he received during a dream the call from Jesus.
After the "public renunciation" to the father's richness in the piazza of Vescovado of Assisi he follows with a small company a life of prayer and obedience to "Sister Poverty".
The beginnings are difficult.
San Francesco's ideas on poverty and simplicity of the life don't agree with people and clergy ideas.
San Francesco starts his pilgrimage around the world coming to Dalmiata d'Egitto (1219-20 they were the times of the crusades) to the "sultano Melek El Kamel".
In 1224 San Francesco receives the stigmate a miracle never happened before if not to the God's son.
Feeling the death coming San Francesco wants to come back to Assisi from Siena where he was and precisely to the Porziuncola the small church where he will die the 4th of October 1226.
Frate Elia, his successor announced the world the presence of the stigmate on the body of the Saint and their revelation caused in the Church serious lacerations and skepticisms that will last also in the succeeding centuries.
In fact when San Francesco was sanctified (1228) by Pope Gregorio IX, in the "bolla di canonizzazione" (the official document) his name doesn't appears.
In 1939 Pope Pio XII proclaimed San Francesco the Patron of Italy. |
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