24 Feb: Hello Francis, this is God
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone – now better known as St Francis of Assisi – attended Mass on 24th February, 1208, and heard the Gospel According to Matthew. From that day on, the former soldier and playboy removed his shoes, put on a rough tunic, and embarked fully into a monastic lifestyle.
The process would lead him to meet the Pope and become officially recognised by the Church – but alienate him from his wealthy father, who had shelled out ransom money to return him from a battlefield prison.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly recall how Francis’s father attempted to wangle him out of his inheritance; explore the really rather literal fashion in which Francesco interpreted his various visions; and explain why, at one point, Francis prayed for his miracles to STOP…
Further Reading:
• ‘Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi – By Donald Spoto’ (Penguin, 2003):
• ‘Francis of Assisi, nature’s mystic’ (The Washington Post, 2013): https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/francis-of-assisi-natures-mystic/2013/03/20/82619910-9166-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239_story.html
• ‘Francis: The Saint and the Pope’ (Catholic News Service, 2013):
#Medieval #Catholic #Italy