4 October is the day to remember St Francis of Assisi. It is also World Animal Day, and the day when some churches hold services to bless animals. This is the story …
Birth
The man we know as St Francis was born in 1181 in the village of Assisi, in what is now the Umbria region of central Italy. His father was a wealthy silk merchant, and he was born while his father was away on business in France. His mother gave him the name Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone. Upon his return to Assisi his father called his new son Francesco, in honour of his enthusiasm for all things French, and as a result, he is known in English by the anglicised form of the name as Francis.
Career
Francis grew up in the Italian merchant class, and as a youngster, he enjoyed the lifestyle of luxury which came with wealth. In 1202, Francis joined a military campaign against Perugia, whereupon he was taken prisoner and spent a year in captivity. Two years after his release he enlisted in the army of Count Brienne. It was during this time that he went on pilgrimage to Rome, and he decided to join the poor begging outside St Peter’s Basilica.
His calling
On his return to Umbria, he spent his time praying in the small country chapel of San Damiano, just outside Assisi, which was partly in ruins. There he sought God’s guidance on his future. He sensed God speaking directly to him saying “Francis, Francis go and repair my Church, which as you can see is falling into ruins.” Francis took this to mean that the ruined church building he was in, was an analogy of the wider Church which was in ruins. He felt called to rejuvenate and reform the Church of God’s people with a new vision of service and devotion. Francis’s message and vision attracted many followers who agreed with him. He cared for God’s creation and was kind to animals who he saw as God’s creatures.
St Francis and the Bible
St Francis’s attitude to the Bible was quite evangelical for his day. They used the Latin Vulgate Bible and they did not have it in Italian, but in mediaeval times Latin was widely understood by the educated classes in Italy. He took the teachings of Jesus and the Bible very seriously. He believed that God had made us stewards of his Creation and so we had to care for the environment and our fellow creatures (Genesis 1:26-28).
When Jesus said, “leave everything and follow Me” (Luke 18:22) he took that as a command. When Jesus said, “Love your neighbour” (Matthew 19:1) he took that as a command. When Jesus said, “love you enemies” (Matthew 5:4) he took that as a command. When Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9) he took that as a challenge. When St James said, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26) he took that seriously. He cast aside conventional religion for an incarnational living, which drew followers not by argument but by example.
The Franciscans
Many people were attracted to Francis’s approach. They renounced worldly wealth and pleasures to embrace poverty, serve the needs of the poor, and share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those in the local community. The followers of Francis became known as Franciscans and became an evangelistic movement within the Catholic Church.
In 1209, the Pope granted permission for the new Franciscan religious order to be formed under a simple rule, allowing its members to live in poverty and beg for their food. This differed greatly from other monastic orders like the Benedictines who had settled monasteries and lands. Francis founded what was to become an order of Mendicant Friars, and in 1223 the Franciscan Rule was granted Papal authority. The Franciscans preached in action and in words, but they felt that their preaching was worthless unless put into action.
Fifth Crusade
Francis was disgusted by so-called “holy wars” which were allegedly fought in the name of God. In 1219, Francis went to Egypt and actively worked to end the conflict of the Fifth Crusade. He went out of his way to meet the Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil to promote peace and dialogue. The Sultan recognised Francis’s holiness, faith in God and his desire for peace.
As a result of Francis’s attitude of peace and respect, rather than distrust and desire for victory through war, Sultan Malik al-Kamil gained a new respect for Christians, and showed a tolerance towards Christians within his realm, especially the Coptic Christians in Egypt, and often mediated in their internal disputes. The encounter is considered significant as a symbol of Christian-Muslim dialogue and mutual respect and is sometimes quoted to inspire stories of interfaith understanding.
Nativity Scene
Around the year 1223, Francis is credited with creating the first Nativity Crib in a cave, during the annual Christmas celebration in the hill-town of Greccio near Lazio, Umbria. The tradition spread through the Church and now churches of all denominations hold a Nativity service at Christmas.
Biography
We know a lot about St Francis because a biography of his life was written by St Bonaventura da Bagnoregio (known as St Bonaventure). He had met St Francis in his youth and attributed his healing to St Francis’s prayers. In 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order and became one of its leaders. He steered the Franciscans on a moderate and intellectual course that made them the most prominent order in the Catholic Church until the coming of the Jesuits. His theology was marked by an attempt completely to integrate faith and reason.
Franciscan Orders
Early Franciscans were like the evangelistic arm of the Catholic Church, and sent missionaries to the Middle East, Central Asia, China and later to the Americas and Japan. Often their approach was very successful. Friar Giovanni da Montecorvino from the Franciscan mission to Mongol China translated the New Testament and Psalms into the local language from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate.The Franciscans consist of three distinct orders. The First Order are Friars Minor, who consist of men who have taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They live simply and serve the needs of the poor and marginalised. This they do by hands-on charitable work, such as running soup kitchens. They preach the Gospel through their educational and evangelistic work and celebrate and honour creation.
The Second Order are the Poor Clares, an order of cloistered sisters. They, too, live under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as well as enclosure, as set out by Francis in conjunction with St Clare of Assisi. Their life is dedicated to prayer, their community, making them the contemplative branch of the Franciscan family. The Third Order are lay people, who follow the Franciscan Rule in their everyday lives. The Franciscan Community is unusual in that it continues in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions. A growing interest in monastic orders amongst Protestants has made the Franciscan world quite ecumenical.
Saint’s Day
Francis of Assisi died on 4 October 1226 and he was later canonised Pope Gregory IX. Many famous religious people were canonised many years and sometimes centuries after their deaths, but such was the regard for Francis that he was canonised less than two years after his death on 16 July 1228.
As is often the case, the day set to remember him was the date of his death, and so St Francis of Assisi's feast is observed on 4 October each year by Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans. He is considered the patron saint of animals and the environment. Around the world there are many churches, mainly Catholic, dedicated to St Francis.
St Francis Basilica in Assisi
Just after he was canonised, building started on the Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi ad Assisi. The building of the basilica dedicated to St Francis began in 1228, and it includes the saint’s tomb. On its walls, the basilica has 28 frescoes depicting key moments in the life of St Francis painted by Giotto. These depict key moments from the saint’s life based on the writings of his most significant biographer, St Bonaventure. Since 2000 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St Francis’s faith was Bible-centred while his mission was Christ-focused, and because of this his story is often admired by Protestants as well as Catholics. As such, Assisi attracts tourists and pilgrims from around the world, and unlike some other Catholic pilgrimage sites, Assisi attracts ecumenical groups and many Protestants.
Assisi
Assisi today is a place of pilgrimage where people travel to hear the story of St Francis. Such is the appeal of St Francis that many Protestant pilgrims may be found among the crowds too. The appeal and stories of St Francis transcend denominations and religions. When Pope John Paul II wanted to bring together representatives of different Christian denominations and other faiths for a World Day of Prayer and Peace on 27 October 1986 and again in January 2002, Assisi seemed to be the appropriate place to do it, being so acceptable to all.
World Animal Day
World Animal Day was first organised by Heinrich Zimmermann, a German animal advocate, and the first one was held in 1925 in Berlin. In May 1931 at the International Animal Protection Congress in Florence, Italy, 4 October was adopted as World Animal Day, because St Francis is the patron saint of animals.
Pope Francis
When Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected in 2013, he chose the papal name of Francis, because of his respect for St Francis of Assisi. He told the story that during the 2013 conclave, the Brazilian Cardinal Cláudio Hummes embraced him after he was elected and whispered, “Don’t forget the poor”. This deeply moved him, reminded him of St Francis, and shaped his choice.
He was inspired by St Francis’s example of humility, care for the poor, and his role as a man of peace. It reflected his desire for a Church that is poor and for the poor, focused on service and simplicity rather than power and luxury. It was the first time a pope took the name Francis, signalling a strong message of reform and solidarity with the marginalised. Pope Francis died in 2025 and he was widely respected by world leaders and gave the Catholic Church a renewed focus on the Bible.
Pet Blessing Services
A tradition which has grown up, mainly in Anglican churches, connected to St Francis is to bless animals and pets on St Francis’s Day or the Sunday nearest to it. Although this seems like a very odd practice to some evangelicals, to other Christians it is a wonderful service which attracts people who might otherwise not come to church. The service is sometimes advertised as a Thanksgiving for Pets or a Blessing for Pets, and people are encouraged to bring along well-behaved animals. Typical readings are Genesis 1:24-31 telling the story of the creation of the animals; Psalm 104:10-25 where it explains how God cares for the animals and birds; and Matthew 6:25-33, where Jesus tells us not to worry but to take the example of the birds of the air. Often donations are accepted for animal rescue centres.
Prayer of St Francis
A well-known prayer of St Francis is called “Make me a channel of your peace.” Sebastian Temple (1928-1997) adapted his prayer and set it to music, and it is often sung in churches across the denominations and is loved by many evangelicals. It gained a wider audience when it was sung at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, and as a result is now often chosen for funerals.
The words are:
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you
Verse 2:
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy.
Chorus:
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved, as to love with all my soul
Verse 3:
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving of ourselves that we receive
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
