Meet Saint Francis of Assisi, the protector of animals

The 4th of October is the day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the protector of animals and the patron saint of ecology. Born in Umbria (near Assisi), Italy, in 1182, his name was Francisco Bernardone. The son of a wealthy cloth merchant, he had a futile adolescence, living in the company of bohemians and, for this, at the age of 20 he was imprisoned. After being freed, he returned to Bohemia, but gradually he felt a lack of interest in mundane life.

In 1207, at the age of 26, he entered the church of San Damiano, which was practically in ruins; when he saw the image of Christ, he felt that Jesus said to him: “Francis, restore my decaying house”. Taken by fright, he went to his father’s shop, where he sold all the merchandise to restore the church; seeing what he was doing, his father disowned him.

Francis took off his robes, handed them to his father Pedro and said to him: “Until now I have called him father, but now I will rightly say: my father is in heaven, because in him I put my hopes”. Then he donned a ragged cotton robe and went out into the world.

Two years later, Francis, with eleven other companions, became a great preacher, traveling through several countries such as Morocco, Egypt and Israel. Thus, the “Order of Franciscans” was born. It was common to see him preach and around him, several birds and animals joined him.

In 1212, together with Clare, he founded the “Franciscan Order of Poor Ladies”. From then on, the movement began to grow, reaching England and all of Europe.

In 1223, Assisi came up with the idea of ​​creating the crib on Christmas Day, a tradition that remains alive today.

In 1224, Francis was preaching on Mount Alverne (Apennines) when scars that corresponded to the five wounds of the crucified Christ appeared on his body, a phenomenon called “stigmatization”, and they remained until the end of his life and would have been the reason for his death. weakness and physical suffering. The wounds progressively increased for two years, leading to blindness, until his death on October 3, 1226.

Over the centuries, Saint Francis has been admired for his vow of poverty, humility, religious freedom, in addition to his great kindness to all living beings, especially animals.

There was no man who was foreign to his heart: lepers, brigands, nobles or commoners; they were all his brothers. Even more, no one like him was so close to the universe: he was the brother of the Sun, water, stars and animals. Francis of Assisi was canonized in 1228 and his cult is associated with the “protection of animals”.

In 1979, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him the patron saint of ecologists.

Patronage:

the city of Assisi

Animals

animal associations

birds

ecologists

Italy

Protect: The Universalists

Emblem: birds, doe and stigmata

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hate, may I take love,

Where there is offensive words, shall I bring forgiveness,

Where there is discord, may I bring unity,

Where there is doubt, let me take faith,

Where there is error, may I bring the truth,

Where there is despair, I may bring hope,

Where there is sadness, I may bring joy,

Where there is darkness, let me bring light.

O Master, make me seek more to console than to be consoled;

To understand that to be understood,

To love, to be loved.

It is in giving that we receive

It is in forgiving that one is forgiven

And it is by dying that one is born to eternal life…

Prayer to Saint Francis of Assisi

To save (or find) an animal

Merciful San Francisco

I ask for help to save (find) this animal

(Say the animal’s name)

With the fullness of your compassion,

Don’t let him be cruelly treated,

Not even in captivity.

I ask San Francisco for help,

patron of animals,

That help me save him (or find him)

Anywhere on earth.

In the name of San Francisco

That is present everywhere,

Guide me with your eyes,

So you can save (or find) him.

take care that

(animal name)

Be safe!

So be it,

Amen.

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