St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, was born in Italy in 1182. After a vision from Christ, he sold his possessions and became a beggar, teaching Christianity and poverty. He is known for his love of animals and his vow of poverty. His feast day is celebrated on October 4th.
St. Francis is a Roman Catholic saint perhaps best known for his love of animals. St. Francis, in addition to being the patron saint of animals, is also the saint of Italy and of the environment. His feast day is October XNUMXth, and it is often celebrated in Italian churches. Outside of Italy, many Catholic churches hold pet blessings on his feast day, in which pet owners are allowed to bring their pets to church for a blessing from the priest.
Like other Roman Catholic saints, St. Francis was a real man. He was born around 1182 in Assisi, Italy, to a wealthy merchant and his wife. By all accounts, Francis of Assisi was a bit of a libertine in his younger years, enjoying frivolity, colorful clothes, music and the company of his friends. In 1201, Francis of Assisi was imprisoned on a military expedition, and evidence seems to suggest that his conversion began around this time.
In 1205, Francis is said to have been praying in a church when he had a vision from Christ, in which he said that Francis should “rebuild my house.” Francis of Assisi took the vision literally, selling all his possessions to rebuild the ramshackle church in which he was praying, and eventually becoming a beggar, someone who relies on the charity of others to survive. Francis began roaming the streets of Italy teaching Christianity and poverty, and began gathering a band of followers that eventually transformed into the Franciscan Order.
St. Francis is held up as a role model by many Christians, as he took a vow of poverty and pledged to live as Christ did, choosing poverty and the Bible over a life of comfort and enjoyment. His love for animals was said to be so strong that he even preached sermons to them, holding prayer meetings attended by birds, deer, and other creatures. Many statues and paintings of St. Francis show him with animals, especially birds, and he was said to be passionate about the natural world, perhaps because he spent so much time outdoors.
Francis of Assisi left several collections of writings, which have been used to build the story of his life. His contemporaries also wrote about him, as did later historians, who no doubt trimmed a bit on the truth in an effort to ensure that St. Francis was considered a candidate for sainthood. According to some of these later accounts, St. Francis’ last words on his deathbed in 1226 concerned his donkey, which he wished to thank for years of faithful service.
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