Francis was born in Assisi, the son of Pietro di Bernardone(a rich cloth merchant) and Lady Pica on 24th of June,1182. Informally he was named as Francesco. Francis was a man of action
He became renowned for his love, simplicity and the practice of poverty. His companions came from all walks of life, from fields and towns, nobility and common people, universities, the church and the merchant class.Francis practiced true equality by showing honor, respect and love to every person whether they were beggar or pope. He believed that nature itself was the mirror of God. In his“Canticle of Creatures” also called “Canticle of the Sun”, he addressed Sun as his brother and Moon as his sister.
He became a catholic Friar, a deacon and a preacher. He founded the men’s Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. He is the Patron Saint of animals and the environment. He prayed to God very dearly, as he said “Start by doing what is necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
St Francis of Assisi is still the need of the hour today where the environment and animals are highly exploited and destroyed. He teaches us to be instruments of peace in this world of hatred and violence. He teaches us to live in poverty, in minimum happily in this consumerist world.
He completed his earthly journey and died during the evening hours of 3 October 1226, while listening to a reading he had requested of Psalm 142 (141).