François d\' Assise

Biography

François is resulting from a rich person commercial family of Assise, in Ombrie. With her birth, his/her mother makes it baptize under the name of " Giovanni " (Jean). Of return of his voyage in France where it made very good deals, his/her father, Pietro Bernardone, give him the name of Francesco (François), which it will keep and by which it will be universally known.

The dissipated youth of Francesco is marked by the aspirations of its time. Wire of a rich person trading, it carries out the beautiful life and organizes festivals with its school-fellows. At the time of the revolts and communes, commoner, it makes the war with the nobility of Sat and Perugia. The battle of Big shot San Giovanni, in November 1202 for him will be followed one year of imprisonment. The disease contracted during its continuous captivity after its return to Assise and obliges it to calm its heats.

He dreams then of important facts of weapons to be adoubé knight and to acquire the row of nobility. But while he wants to join the army of Gauthier de Brienne, a dream with Spolète makes him give up this project. Of return to Assise, it gives up little by little his companions of festival and more and more often attends the vaults of the valley known as Val di Spoleto.

In 1205 it is 23 years old. Whereas it is in prayer in front of the crucifix of the vault Saint-Damien, Francesco hears a voice requiring " of him; to repair its Church ruins " of it;. Taking the order literally, it sells with Foligno goods commercial of his father to be able to restore the old dilapidated vault.

Furious of the eccentricities of his son, Pierre Bernardonne requires that it return accounts to him and convenes it in justice. Francesco, being claimed of a statute of penitent which makes it escape laic justice, will then be convened by the bishop. During its hearing on the place of Base, in spring 1206, François then returns the money which remains to him, like its clothing and, finding himself naked, he says to his father and crowd gathered: “Up to now I called you father on the ground; from now on I can say: “Our Father which are with the skies, since it is with Him that I entrusted my treasure and gave my faith” . The bishop of Sitted then takes it under his protection. François leaves for Gubbio. Ghost with Assise about the summer 1206, it restores successively the vaults of Saint-Damien, Saint-Pierre, and the Portioncule.

At the beginning of 1208, in the vault of Portioncule, François includes/understands finally the message of the Évangile: “In your belt, slip neither money or gold coin, nor copper piécette. In way, carry neither double sack, neither tunic of replacement, neither sandals, nor stick” (Matthieu 10,9). It is withdrawn in an absolute poverty, being devoted to preaching and gaining its bread by manual work or alms. It changes its dress of hermit for a simple tunic. The cord replaces its belt. It is probable that its frequentation of leprous dates from this time and the stability which it could find near the close leper-house. Bernard, wire of Quintavalle, and Pierre de Catane join it very quickly, then others still and François finds themselves with the head of a small community. In 1210, the pope Innocent III, which saw it in dream supporting the Basilique Midsummer's Day of Lateran in ruins, verbally validates the first rule written by François governing incipient fraternity.

Quickly, the Ordre franciscain such as had designed François is exceeded by his success and is organized against the wishes of the founder, so that after a voyage in Egypt and an astonishing meeting with the sultan Al-Kamel (1219), François entrusts the direction of the order to Pierre de Catane then with Élie d' Assise. He also disapproves the taste incipient from the Franciscains for the study and teaching, so that he refuses one day to enter a conventual house to Bologna when he learns that it is called “House of the brothers” and that it comprises a school.

In 1221, during the general Chapter, it lays down on paper the official rule which it wants to give to the order. This text, called today Controlled PRIMA, is considered to be too long and too blur to be practicable.

In 1222, François goes to Bologna where, at the request of the laic ones, it will create a third Order after that of the minor brothers and the poor sisters: the Third-Order, called today secular Fraternity.

In February 1223, François is withdrawn in a Ermitage to take again the drafting of the rule. This one will be discussed in the chapter of June then approved by the bubble Solet annuere of the pope Honorius III, from where its name of Controlled bullata.

In August 1224, Francesco withdraws with some brothers with the monastery of Verna. The September 17th (3 days after the catholic festival of the glorious Cross), it receives the Stigmates. From now on, it is often sick, and is in prey with crises of anguishes. It takes refuge in a hut close to the church Saint-Damien, where it had begun his spiritual route and where the community of the poor sisters saw initiated by Claire of Sitted. It written its there “Canticle of brother sun” (or “Canticle of the creatures” ), first modern Italian text), celebration of God in his creation, and one of the great Italian poems. He dies the October 3rd 1226, in the vault of Transito (which one can see thus that the vault of Portioncule, preserved intact and included in the basilica Sainte Marie of the Angels in the Val di Spoleto not far from the high city of Sitted). He leaves a Will where he professes his attachment with evangelic poverty and the Rule.

Its life is told in particular by Thomas de Celano and Saint Bonaventure. It also made the object of Fioretti, anonymous collection of the 14th century telling on your naive and humorous miracles and little stories which would be occurred around François and of his first disciples. One of the most famous anecdotes is the conversion of a wolf which would have terrorized the population of the town of Gubbio. Its life, finally, was painted by Giotto in the church Santa Croce of Florence, and in Assise even in the higher basilica by its frescos of the life of François Saint in 28 tables.

François was canonized as of 1228 by the pope Gregoire IX. He belongs to the catholic Saint S most popular and undoubtedly that which is best accommodated among nonthe or not Christian catholics.

Following the night that it celebrated in a cave with Greccio, the use of the Crèche of Christmas “was spread in the Famille franciscaine then in the hearths. Following its meeting with the sultan with Damiette, advertisement of the prayer by the Bell S, then the Angélus were spread. François is the owner in particular wolf cubs (Scoutisme connects reserved to the young children), ecologists and animals.

The pope Benoît XVI deplored that the figure of François saint underwent the attacks of secularization.

Work

Although it is presented itself in the form of illiterate, François left many writings of varied kinds. Some of them reached us like autographs, i.e. the originals written by François himself (BLéon, LLéon). Others are copies included in collections, such as the prestigious " manuscript 338 " communal Library of Base, others, finally, are drawn from various writings in which they had been quoted (for example the Rule of holy Claire).

Authenticity of the Writings

The recent studies made it possible to determine the writings which one can allot to Francois, and with which title one can allot to him.

Certain texts were eliminated from the recent editions because of their degree of too weak authenticity. Thus Prière for peace, also called celebrates it simple Prière or Prière of saint François, forms part D `no collection handwritten. The oldest trace of this text does not go up before 1913. The prayer was printed with the back of a holy picture representing holy François. It is not that starting from 1936 qu' one allotted it to Assisiate. Its world success is due to the American senator Tom Connally which made of it reading with the platform of UNO in 1945 at the time of the Conférence of San Francisco, city placed as of its creation by the Spaniards under the patronage of the saint. Other prayers, formerly famous, lost recently credit near the researchers and disappeared from the critical editions of the writings of François.

Two texts are autographs (LLéon, LD-BLéon). For others, there is a testimony attesting that François is the author (CSol). Sometimes, as that often arrived at the Middle Ages, François dictated a text with a secretary, more or less skilful. Certain texts start indeed with " Write like… " (JP, TestS, BBe)). Those are indicated opera dictata. Certain texts (Adm) seem to be notes taken during talks. The rule (1Reg, 2Reg) is a writing having evolved/moved of 1208 with 1223, in which François holds certainly a great part, however a precise study shows that this text is the work of the community franciscaine joined together in chapter.

The classification of the work of François is always artificial. The texts mix the literary kinds, in particular the First Rule, in legislative matter which contains models of exhortation (standard Lettres) and prayers. Often allowed classification is that which follows:

Legislation

Reprimands (Adm)
Perfect Joy (JP)
Rule of 1221 or First Rule (1Reg)
Rule of 1223 or Second Rule (2Reg)
Will (Test)
Rule for the hermitages (RegErm)
Exhortation with the sisters of Saint Damien (ExhPD)
Will of His (TestS)
Fragment of the rule of Holy Claire (FVie and DVol)

Letters

Letter with the chiefs of the people (LChe)
Letter with all the Order (Lord)
Blessing with Brother Bernard (BBe)
Letter with all the faithful ones (drafting I) (1LFid)
Letters with all the faithful ones (drafting II) (2LFid)
Letter with the clerks (LCle)
Letter with the custodes (LCus)
Letter with Brother Leon (LLéon)
Letter with a minister (LMin)
Letter with Saint Antoine (LAnt)

Prayers

Greetings of the virtues (SalV)
Speech
Praises for every hour (LH)
Our Father paraphrased (Pat)
Praise with God (LD)
Canticle of the Creatures (CSol)
Blessing with brother Leon (BLéon)
Exhortation with the praise of God (ExhLD)
Greeting of the Virtues (SalV)
Prayer of François Saint passing in front of a church
Greeting with the Virgin (SalM)
Antienne Mariale (PsFant)
Prayer of François Saint in front of the Crucifix of Saint Damien (PCru)
Prayer of intercession
Psautier of Saint François (PsF)

The abbreviations are that of the bilingual edition Latin French:

François d' Assise, Writings, Latin text of the edition K. Esser, introduction, translation per T. Desbonnet, T. Matura, J-F. Cup, D. Vorreux, coll Christian Sources, Paris, Stag, 1981, ISBN 2204072354.

Lost writings

Of the composed canticles, words and music for the Clarisse S according to Mirror of perfection (SP 90) and they is certainly also these texts and perhaps of others about which Sainte Claire in her will speaks.

Primitive biographies

François d' Assise is one of the figures cash the most biographers of 1230 at our days. Certain authors, such Thomas de Celano, even produced several biographies. The history of the drafting of the Hagiographie S of François and their reciprocal influences is what the specialists called the franciscaine Question that one can summarize as follows.

Little time after the death of François and its canonization, the pope orders a hagiography (precisely a life of saint). Work is entrusted to the brother Thomas de Celano who leave the investigation of canonization and of the relations it has. The diagram is that of a canted young man who, by grace, is converted and becomes holy. Some among the first brothers react to this account qu `they find little conforms to the man that they knew. The general Chapter of the franciscains order then a second hagiography. A letter is sent to the brothers to forward in writing the memories which they have of the saint founder.

Among the arrived documents, it seems that an account was made by the brothers Ange, Leon and Ruffin, first companions of François. Indeed a letter beginning with the words Our which cum eo fuimus… (We who were with him) a manuscript accompanies which one calls the Legend of the three Companions. Certain experts blame the bond between the letter and the legend (let us recall that a legend is a text having to be read with the refectory, with the Office… and not an imaginary account). This account testifies, more than the biographies, of the life of the incipient community.

Thomas de Celano receives the responsibility of compose one second official hagiography, it is Vita II. He is pressed on the collected documents. The diagram is then that of an young man predestined as of his birth to be holy. Like Christ, her birth is prophesied, like Christ, it is born on the straw…

Dissensions develop in the community between the partisans of a rather eremitic original purity which will become the party of spiritual and the majority of the brothers more conventual and clerical. Each one being based on its interpretation of the intention of the founder. The General Chapter then requires of Bonaventure de Bagnorea to write a life of François who, while conceptualizing the franciscanism, endeavors to maintain cohesion. This erudite brother is pressed mainly on the contents of the two biographies of Thomas de Celano and brings only little of new historical elements. After some time, the former biographies will be prohibited and one must with the close Religious orders have safeguarded specimens of these writings and to some astute brothers to have perhaps hidden them there. One however needed little of them, because today only an original manuscript of Vita preceded and two of Vita secunda still exist.

Later, the quarrel not having disappeared, of the writings appear in the spiritual mediums which only bring very little of new elements on François if not a spiritual second reading of the experiment franciscaine. In this vein are very famous Fioretti with doubtful historicity but with the tasty account.

That they were papal or capitulary orders, the biographies of Thomas de Celano, and particularly the first, are invaluable documents for a historical investigation into François d' Assise. The Legend of the three Companions is a good complement to include/understand François in the context of the incipient community. However the best discovery of the character and his spirituality is made through its own writings, even if the historical elements are far from numerous there.

For one century, following the dash given by Protestant Pasteur Paul Sabatier, historical work has made it possible to release a precise knowledge of Assisiate. The biographical production on Francesco began again with well characterized orientations, truculent Saint François written by the southernmost poet Joseph Delteil with the production of historical works by recognized academics such Raoul Manselli.

Vie of François Saint by Thomas de Celano

Vita took precedence
Vita secunda
Traité miracles

Vie of François Saint by Bonaventure de Bagnorea

Legenda major
Legenda minor

Anonym of Perugia
Légende of the three companions
Légende of Perugia
the mirror of perfection
Fioretti de Saint François

Fioretti or Small flowers
Considérations over the marks

Sacrum commercium
Témoins and chroniclers of the 13th century

Its Works, which include/understand the Statutes of its kind, the Sermons, the Canticles and the Letters, were published in Antwerp, 1623, in-4.

See too

Assumption on the marks of saint François d' Assise

In its novel " The Franciscan Conspiracy ", published in 2005, ( " The Plot of Franciscains " , 2006 French), John Stark erects scaffolding an assumption: With died of the saint, a group of people concealed her skin and buried it in a secret place which will be discovered only in 1818, nearly 600 years after its death, in the crypt of the Basilica of Base. They would have acted thus to preserve the myth of the marks of François saint which strongly took part in the reputation of the saint and the expansion about Franciscains.

The author is based on the fact that Francois, " it Poverello " , forever spoken itself about marks, always repeating the same formula: " My secrecy belongs to me " , and on the fact that it was also called Francesco lebbroso - François the leprous one; according to him, it would be necessary to take this expression with the clean direction.

It develops its argumentation concerning the allowed clinical signs: François d' Assise carried strange marks on the hands and the feet as well as a mark to the side at the same time as it was struck of blindness.

The marks on the hands cannot reflect the wounds of Christ for physical reasons: the nails of the crucifixion were placed in the wrists because the hands would quickly have torn with the weight of the body.

The saint did not carry either the marks of the crown of spines on his head nor the marks of the whiplashes on his back: how to explain the absence of these signs of the Passion of Christ?

It is known today that the marks have a psychological cause: love of the saint for Christ, but François did not know the details of the crucifixion also those they appeared where the crucifixes of its time showed: on the hands! François loved Christ until being identified completely with Him in his love for creation ( " brother sun " etc). Even if the marks are not due to a miracle, they do not show of it less the power of the love at an individual.

According to John Stark, very would be explained by leprosy and to prevent that the pilgrims do not realize there to the marks which the disease leaves on the skeleton, one would have made disappear the skin from the saint before it becomes a venerated relic.

For him the marks of François saint would be simply the indelible marks of an acute crisis of leprosy left by lesions which can occur sometimes of the day at the following day. Page 451 specifies the assumption: it would be about " lepromatous leprosy bordering, which is characterized by only one lesion from oval form and color dew on the side, like by a reduction in the vision and macular crusts on the hands and the feet. "

Beyond the romantic aspect of the work, which can one think " médicalement " of this assumption clarified in the fifty last pages of the book?

Franciscains
Companions of Saint François
Capuchins
Claire of Sitted
Prayer known as of saint François
Frescos of the life of François saint in Assise

External bonds

franciscaine the French-speaking Family of Europe
Companions of Saint François
the encyclopedia wiki franciscaine
the prayers
Legislation and letter
Franciscains and spiritual
S. François and the wolf of Gubbio in Associazione Eugubini nel Mondo

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