Around the year 1200, this simple friar countered the decadence of church government and society in general with a message of non-materialism.
Charging through dark and quiet Assisi — an Umbrian town stony with history — I was rushing back to my favourite restaurant for a good meal … hopefully before the kitchen closed.
Like Jesus, Francis taught by example, living without worldly goods and aiming to love all creation. A huge monastic order grew out of his teachings, which were gradually embraced by the Roman Church. Christianity’s most popular saint and purest example of simplicity is now glorified in churches — known for their stark beauty. The ultimate among these is in Assisi — the magnificent Basilica of St. Francis.
Francis’s message of love, simplicity, and sensitivity to the environment has a broad and timeless appeal. But every pilgrimage site inevitably gets commercialized, and Francis’s legacy is now Assisi’s basic industry. In summer, the city can be inundated with crass and noisy tour groups. Francis met his female counterpart, Clare, in Assisi. She went on to establish the order of the Poor Clares. Her tomb and possessions are nearby at the Basilica of St. Clare.