The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of Assisi

In Short

This eighteen-century hagiography by Father Candide Chalippe chronicling the life of Saint Francis of Assisi presents the foundational narratives, spiritual principles, and miraculous interventions that defined the Franciscan movement. Beginning with Francis's dramatic abandonment of worldly wealth for a life of utter poverty, the text details his care for lepers, the founding of his monastic order, and his tireless preaching across Europe and the Levant. Intertwined with moral reflections, the narrative traces his mystical encounters—most notably receiving the stigmata on Mount Alverno—and his profound reverence for nature and humility. It endures as a vital spiritual chronicle, blending historical account and holy legend to offer practical insights into Christian asceticism, divine love, and total surrender.

The Story

The narrative opens with the early conversion of Francis, who, moved by a vision of the crucified Christ, undergoes a radical spiritual awakening. Renouncing his former life and its comfortable pleasures, he embraces absolute poverty and humbles himself to serve lepers, turning his initial revulsion into acts of deep compassion and bed-side care. Joined by early disciples such as Bernard, who sells all his worldly possessions to distribute to the poor after seeking guidance through the Gospels, Francis lays the bedrock of a new monastic community. He frames this path not as a harsh burden, but as a mystical marriage to "Lady Poverty," trusting entirely in Divine Providence for food, shelter, and daily needs.

As his reputation for holiness spreads, Francis seeks papal approval for his burgeoning brotherhood. The movement expands rapidly, attracting men and women of all social strata—including Saint Clare, who leaves the world behind to establish a sisterhood under his guidance at St. Damian's, taking a vow of strict enclosure. Francis travels extensively, preaching to vast crowds in places like Bologna, where his simple words resolve bitter civic feuds, and venturing as far as the Levant to convert non-believers. His life is marked by intense mortifications, rigorous fasts in isolated thickets, and a gentle kinship with creation, illustrated by his interactions with animals and birds.

Throughout his journeys, Francis insists on absolute simplicity and resists the temptation toward institutional luxury. When his vicar constructs a larger building at the Portiuncula to accommodate guests, Francis orders it dismantled to preserve the order’s commitment to hardship, consenting to let it stand only when persuaded of its necessity for housing visitors. He establishes rules for his friars, sending them on missions to foreign lands, including Morocco, where several meet martyrdom—an event that inspires figures like Saint Anthony of Padua to join the Franciscan ranks. Anthony, initially taking up the lowest domestic chores of sweeping and cleaning dishes, is eventually commanded by Francis to apply his exceptional intellect to theology and preaching.

As Francis grows older, his intense devotion culminates during a forty-day fast on Mount Alverno. There, in a moment of sublime mystical union, Christ appears to him as a seraph and imprints upon his hands, feet, and side the holy stigmata. Carrying these painful, miraculous wounds on his physical body, Francis continues to preach and guide his brethren despite failing health, severe headaches, and demonic temptations. Realizing his earthly journey is ending, he gathers his followers, blesses them in the form of a cross, has the Gospel of St. John read to him, and dies reciting the Psalms. His soul ascends to heaven like a brilliant star, leaving behind a profound legacy of holy simplicity, evangelical poverty, and seraphic love.

How It Unfolds

The vision of the cross Francis sees Jesus Christ attached to the cross in a powerful apparition that deeply pierces his soul and alters his life forever. He surrenders his former comforts to attend directly to lepers in hospitals, dressing their wounds and kissing their faces.

Founding the order A wealthy man named Bernard decides to follow Francis and sells all his possessions for the poor after they consult the Gospels three times for divine confirmation. Francis clothes Bernard in a humble habit, marking the official beginning of their impoverished brotherhood.

Preaching and expansion Francis travels through cities like Bologna and San Severino, converting nobles, commoners, and famous troubadours through impassioned sermons on peace and the Passion of Christ. His movement gains widespread devotion, leading to papal recognition and the founding of monasteries for women under Saint Clare.

The stigmata on Mount Alverno During a forty-day retreat of rigorous fasting and prayer on Mount Alverno, Francis experiences a miraculous vision of a seraph. Christ's five wounds are physicalized and permanently stamped onto Francis's own flesh, making him a living image of the Crucified Saviour.

A holy death Suffering from bodily infirmities and intense spiritual trials, Francis gathers his disciples for a final farewell. He blesses his brothers, listens to the reading of the Gospel of St. John, and peacefully surrenders his soul while reciting the Psalms.

The People

• Saint Francis of Assisi: The founder of the Friars Minor who seeks total conformity to Jesus Christ through extreme poverty, relentless preaching, and profound humility. He wants nothing more than to renounce worldly comforts, but his natural weakness and physical ailments stand in his way, leaving him transformed into a stigmatized mystic of seraphic charity.
• Bernard: A wealthy early disciple who wants to give his life and goods back to God. He faces the challenge of severing ties with his vast estate, but ultimately sells everything to become Francis's cherished "eldest son" in poverty.
• Saint Clare: A devoted spiritual companion who wants to dedicate herself entirely to a secluded life of prayer and asceticism. Prevented by the world's distractions, she establishes the monastery at St. Damian's, remaining faithfully enclosed for forty-two years.
• Saint Anthony of Padua: An exceptionally learned Portuguese scholar who desires to hide his immense talents by doing menial chores in the convent. Confronted by his own hidden brilliance, he is commanded by Francis to step into the pulpit and become a renowned preacher and theologian.
• Cardinal Ugolino: A powerful church prelate who wants to organize and safeguard the governance of the growing Franciscan institutions. Balancing administrative necessity with Francis's strict ideal of poverty, he assumes direction over the female monasteries and supports the order's missions.

In Its Own Voice

"If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor."

Francis and his first companion, Bernard, open the book of the Gospels three times in prayer to seek divine confirmation for their radical commitment to absolute poverty.

"The King of kings coming down from Heaven, and coming upon earth, was so enamored of her, that He married her in the manger."

In an allegory presented to the Pope, Francis explains his brotherhood's devotion to poverty as a sacred marriage between Christ and a despised, forgotten bride.

"O brother ass! this is what suits you, this is the way in which you should be chastised."

When tempted by the devil to abandon his austere life, Francis harshly disciplines his own physical body to preserve his spiritual purity.

What It's Really About

Beneath the narrative of miracles and monastic foundation, the book explores the radical nature of Christian self-denial and the total surrender of the human ego to divine love. It argues that true spiritual perfection cannot coexist with material attachment, intellectual vanity, or personal ambition. Through Francis's life, the text examines how absolute poverty frees the human soul to experience genuine joy, universal fraternity, and direct communion with God. It contrasts the world's valuation of status and comfort with the evangelical mandate to embrace the lowliest, the sick, and the forgotten. Furthermore, the work addresses the delicate balance between external religious structures and internal spiritual fervor, showing that true holiness requires both rigorous bodily discipline and an overflowing, compassionate charity toward all creation.

Why Read It Today

This work offers an immersive window into early Franciscan spirituality, appealing to readers interested in historical theology, Christian mysticism, and the lives of the saints. Reading it feels like stepping into a medieval chronicle written with intense devotional earnestness, where supernatural occurrences, dramatic conversions, and profound acts of self-sacrifice are treated as immediate realities. The narrative carries a warm, earnest cadence that invites quiet reflection on what it means to live a life stripped of superfluous clutter.

However, modern readers must navigate certain period difficulties. The text reflects traditional eighteenth-century hagiographical conventions, where miraculous events—such as stilling stormy waves, prophetic visions, and uncorrupted fasts—are presented without critical skepticism. Its length, detailed accounts of monastic administration, and frequent moral exhortations may feel repetitive to those seeking a fast-paced biography. Additionally, the severe bodily mortifications described, such as throwing oneself into snow mounds or harsh flagellation, reflect historical ascetic practices that contrast sharply with contemporary sensibilities. Yet, for those willing to engage its period style, the book leaves a lasting impression of a man whose radical humility and warmth transformed the medieval spiritual landscape.

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