There’s something about a man who gave up everything that still captures our imagination eight centuries later. Saint Francis of Assisi traded a merchant’s fortune for a life of radical poverty, and his message of peace with creation has only grown louder.
Born: 1181 in Assisi, Italy ·
Died: October 3, 1226 ·
Feast Day: October 4 ·
Founded: Franciscan Order (1209)
Quick snapshot
- Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in 1181 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Founded the Order of Friars Minor in 1209 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Received the stigmata in 1224 (University of Notre Dame Faith ND)
- Canonized on July 16, 1228 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Exact birth year varies between 1181 and 1182 across sources (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Some famous quotes, like the Peace Prayer, may have been composed after his death (Franciscan Media)
- Specific miracle details differ across medieval accounts (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- 1181 — Born in Assisi
- 1209 — Founded the Franciscan Order
- 1224 — Received stigmata
- October 3, 1226 — Died at Porziuncola
- Feast day celebrated globally on October 4
- World Animal Day coincides with his feast
- Franciscan Order continues with 30,000+ members worldwide
Six key facts about Saint Francis of Assisi, one pattern: his life was a series of radical breaks with the worldly status quo.
| Full Name | Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone |
| Birth | 1181, Assisi, Italy |
| Death | October 3, 1226 |
| Canonization | July 16, 1228 |
| Major Shrine | Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi |
| Emblem | Stigmata, wolf, birds, tau cross |
What is Saint Francis of Assisi known for?
Early life and conversion
- Born as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone around 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- His father was Pietro di Bernardone, a prosperous merchant (University of Notre Dame Faith ND)
- After a year as a prisoner of war in Perugia (1202) and a serious illness, he experienced a dramatic conversion
Francis’s conversion was not a quiet inner shift. He publicly renounced his inheritance in a dramatic scene before the bishop of Assisi, stripping off his clothes and returning them to his father (Our Sunday Visitor).
A merchant’s son who rejected commerce itself – Francis’s wealth was the very thing he used to build a movement of poverty.
The implication: Conversions that involve public renunciation redefine a person’s entire social identity.
Founding of the Franciscan Order
- In 1209, Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- He also inspired the women’s Order of St. Clare and the lay Third Order (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- The rule emphasized evangelical poverty, manual labor, and preaching
What this means: Francis’s movement was not a monastic retreat but an active evangelization force that combined poverty with public preaching (EBSCO Research Starters).
Iconic moments: preaching to birds, receiving stigmata
- Francis is famously said to have preached to a flock of birds, who listened attentively
- In September 1224, on Mount La Verna, he received the stigmata – the wounds of Christ – the first recorded case in Christian tradition (University of Notre Dame Faith ND)
- Medieval accounts describe this as a mystical experience that marked the last two years of his life (The Conversation)
What was the famous message of St. Francis of Assisi?
The call to radical poverty
- Francis’s core message was to live the Gospel literally, without personal possessions (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- He renounced family wealth and embraced poverty as a central spiritual commitment (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- His movement emphasized evangelical poverty and reform within the medieval Church (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
Peace and reconciliation
- During the Fifth Crusade, Francis crossed enemy lines to preach peace to the Sultan of Egypt
- He famously tamed the wolf of Gubbio through nonviolent negotiation
- His message was not retreat from the world but active peacemaking in it
The catch: Francis’s peace was not passive – it required direct engagement with the most dangerous conflicts of his time.
The Canticle of the Sun
- Composed around 1225, the Canticle of the Sun praises God through creation – Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and even Sister Death (Franciscan Media)
- It is one of the earliest vernacular poems in Italian literature
- The canticle frames nature as a family, not a resource to be exploited
Why this matters: The Canticle of the Sun is often called the first ecological manifesto, and it underpins Francis’s designation as patron saint of ecology.
What miracles did St. Francis of Assisi perform?
Miracle of the wolf of Gubbio
- A ferocious wolf was terrorizing the town of Gubbio; Francis went out to meet it
- He made the sign of the cross and spoke to the wolf, which then became tame
- The wolf agreed to a pact: the townspeople would feed it, and it would stop attacking
- This story is recorded in the Fioretti (Little Flowers of St. Francis)
The pattern: Even with a predator, Francis’s first instinct was negotiation, not force.
Healing miracles
- Francis is reported to have healed lepers and the sick through touch and prayer
- Medieval hagiographies describe multiple healings of crippled and blind individuals
- Many of these accounts were used in the canonization process
What this means: Healing was central to Francis’s reputation – his own recovery from illness sparked his conversion, and he spent his life caring for the sick.
Multiplication of food and wine
- On one occasion, a small amount of bread and wine was said to feed a large crowd
- Similar stories appear in the Fioretti and other early sources
- The multiplication echoes the Gospel miracles and reinforces Francis’s Christ-like image
The more miraculous the claim, the harder it is to verify historically. Yet these stories shaped the saint’s identity and drove medieval devotion.
What were the last words of St. Francis of Assisi?
The meaning behind ‘Welcome, Sister Death’
- Francis’s last words, according to the account of Brother Leo, were “Welcome, Sister Death”
- This phrase completes the Canticle of the Sun, where he had already praised Sister Death
- It reflects his view of death not as an enemy but as a gentle arrival
Tradition holds that Francis died peacefully at the Porziuncola, surrounded by his brothers (Franciscan Media).
His final Psalm and blessing
- In his last hours, Francis dictated Psalm 141 and gave a final blessing to his followers
- He also said, “I have done what was mine to do; may Christ teach you what you are to do” (a deathbed saying found in later sources, though its exact wording is uncertain) (Heroes of Faith – Found Faithful)
- His death occurred on October 3, 1226, according to Britannica, though some devotional sources give October 4 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
The implication: Francis’s final words were not a lament but a welcome – a radical acceptance that even death belonged to God’s family.
Legacy of his last words
- “Welcome, Sister Death” has become a touchstone for hospice care and death positivity movements
- His blessing continues to be recited in Franciscan communities worldwide
- The attitude of peaceful death challenges modern culture’s fear of aging and dying
What is the most famous quote of St. Francis of Assisi?
‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace’
- The Peace Prayer (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”) is the most widely known quote attributed to Francis
- However, its earliest known appearance is in a 1912 French magazine, suggesting it was composed centuries after his death (Franciscan Media)
- Despite uncertain authorship, the prayer perfectly captures Francis’s spirit of peace and service
Other notable quotes
- “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary” – widely attributed but exact medieval source unclear
- “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible”
- “For it is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned” (from the Peace Prayer)
How these quotes inspire discipleship
- Modern followers of Francis, including the Franciscan movement, use these quotes as daily guides
- Environmental activists cite his love of creation as a call to ecological action
- The Peace Prayer is recited at interfaith gatherings and 12-step meetings worldwide
What this means: Even when the exact words are later inventions, the ideas they express are authentically Francis’s – a powerful reminder that legacy is not always literal.
Timeline of Saint Francis of Assisi
- 1181 – Born in Assisi, Italy
- 1202 – Captured in battle between Assisi and Perugia; imprisoned
- 1205 – Conversion experience; begins to care for lepers and rebuild churches
- 1209 – Founded the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)
- 1224 – Receives the stigmata on Mount La Verna
- October 3, 1226 – Dies at the Porziuncola
- July 16, 1228 – Canonized by Pope Gregory IX
- October 4 – Feast day (established mid-13th century)
The pattern: Francis’s life compressed into a single decade of intense activity – from conversion to death, only 21 years of public ministry.
Clarity: What’s confirmed and what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Birth year 1181/1182, widely accepted by historians (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- He received the stigmata in 1224 (University of Notre Dame Faith ND)
- He founded the Franciscan Order in 1209 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- His feast day is October 4
- He died on October 3, 1226 at the Porziuncola (Franciscan Media)
What’s unclear
- Exact wording of all his quotes (e.g., the Peace Prayer may be a later composition) (Franciscan Media)
- Some specific miracle details vary across sources
- Whether he was the first person to receive the stigmata is debated (The Conversation)
Quotes from and about St. Francis
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.”
— Attributed to St. Francis, from the Peace Prayer (first recorded 1912) (Franciscan Media)
“Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary.”
— Widely attributed to St. Francis, though exact medieval source is uncertain
“Welcome, Sister Death.”
— Last words of St. Francis, recorded by Brother Leo
The implication for modern readers: the man who called death “sister” offers a startlingly different perspective on the one thing we all must face. Francis’s legacy is not a museum piece – it is a living challenge to a culture obsessed with possessions and terrified of mortality. For anyone seeking a counterweight to consumerism, the radical simplicity of St. Francis is more relevant than ever. The choice is clear: keep accumulating, or learn to welcome Sister Death with open arms.
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Frequently asked questions
What was St. Francis’s early life like before his conversion?
He was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone around 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant. He enjoyed a privileged youth, fought in the war between Assisi and Perugia, and was captured and imprisoned for a year. After a serious illness, he began to question his life of luxury.
Why is St. Francis considered the patron saint of animals?
Because of his deep love for all creatures, his preaching to birds, and his taming of the wolf of Gubbio. In 1979, Pope John Paul II declared him patron saint of ecology and animals.
How did St. Francis’s relationship with his father end?
In a public confrontation before the bishop of Assisi, Francis stripped off his clothes and returned them to his father, renouncing his inheritance and family ties in favor of total poverty.
What is the significance of the stigmata in Francis’s life?
It was the physical mark of his mystical union with Christ. He was the first recorded person to receive the stigmata, and it occurred on Mount La Verna in 1224, two years before his death.
Did St. Francis of Assisi actually preach to birds?
According to early biographies like the Fioretti, he preached to a flock of birds who listened attentively. While the story is legendary, it reflects his belief that all creation is part of God’s family.
What is the Canticle of the Sun about?
It is a poem of praise to God through creation – Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and even Sister Death. It is one of the earliest vernacular poems in Italian and a foundation of Christian ecological thought.
How is St. Francis of Assisi remembered today?
Through the Franciscan Order (30,000+ members worldwide), his feast day on October 4, World Animal Day, and countless churches, schools, and hospitals named after him. His message of poverty and peace continues to inspire environmental and social justice movements.
Daniel Harper is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Report, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.