Francis+of+Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian monk who lived from 1180 to 1226. He began the Franciscan order of monks, which is a mendicant order, meaning they take a vow of poverty and rely upon charity to survive. The Franciscans were sanctioned by Pope Innocent III in 1209, and Francisc attracted many followers with his message of apostolic poverty and simple lifetyle. He is also significant because he is one of the only saints to receive the stigmata, or the five wounds of Christ. This occurrence is important because many of his followers believed that this was divine providence saying that he was more important than the pope, which caused a conflict of authority. Today, he is considered on of Italy's patron saints, and the patron saint of animals and merchants.