Author

Francis of Assisi; Thomas of Celano; Bonaventure; Brother Ugolino; others

Francis of Assisi and early Franciscan writers of his life

Posthumous or imagined likeness of Francis of Assisi.
Posthumous or imagined likeness of Francis of Assisi. Source · Public domain

About Francis of Assisi; Thomas of Celano; Bonaventure; Brother Ugolino; others

Francis of Assisi (1181/82-1226) was the Umbrian founder of the Friars Minor, remembered for poverty, preaching, wounds, song, and love of creatures. Thomas of Celano, Bonaventure, and later Franciscan storytellers shaped his memory for different needs: canonization, order discipline, theology, popular devotion, and the affectionate folklore of the Fioretti.

On this site

Early Franciscan Sources

c. 1209-1390 · Medieval · Hagiography

Francis of Assisi reaches modern popular culture through birds, wolves, poverty, brown robes, garden statues, animal blessings, Christmas cribs, and an almost ecological tenderness. The early sources are more demanding.

high medical relevanceSaintsFaith / ReligionAnimals