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Saint Francis of Assisi was born at Assisi in Umbria in either 1181 or 1182, the exact year of his birth is uncertain, and died there October 3, 1226 (Saint pp). One of several children, he was born into a wealthy family (Saint pp). His father, Pietro Bernardone, was a successful cloth merchant and his mother, Pica is said to have come from a noble family of Provence (Saint pp). Francis was baptized Giovanni, later however, his father altered his name to Francesco (Saint pp). Francis grew up as a privileged citizen by indulgent parents who satisfied his every whim (Saint pp). He was handsome and gallant and so enjoyed the finer offerings in life that one biographer referred to him as "the very king of frolic" (Saint pp).
Francis was around twenty years of age when he was captured prisoner during a skirmish with the Perugians, and while held in captivity it is said that he became gravely ill and began to reflect on his life (Saint pp). When he regained his health, he embraced the military career and was to accompany Walter of Brienne, into battle when the night before he was to leave he had a dream in which he saw a long hallway hung with armor marked with the Cross (Saint pp). In the dream a voice said, "These are for you and your soldiers,"...
Francis began to pray, meditate, and reflect upon his life, and one day he unexpectedly came upon a leper, and the sight of this poor soul so repulsed Francis that he at first retreated, but then returned to embrace the man and give him all the money he had (Saint pp). He also made a pilgrimage to Rome where he emptied his purse at the tomb of St. Peter, and exchanged clothes with a beggar and spent the remainder of the day fasting with the other beggars at the door of the basilica (Saint pp).
Shortly after his return to Assisi, Francis was praying at the chapel of St. Damian, when again he heard a voice saying, "Go Francis, and repair my…
Work Cited
Francis of Assisi.
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintf01.htm
St. Francis of Assisi
http://san-francesco.org/vita_eng.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06221a.htm
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