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 His family was wealthy and so Francis was expected to take over his father's business. He was put into the military when he came of age but on his way to a battle, he heard a voice. "Turn back to Assisi,"it said. After a few times, Francis obeyed. He later started the Fransiscains. An order bent of poverty, This order begged for money and supplies and then gave them to the poor. Francis gave aid to lepers, elderly and all poor. He lived by Christs standerds. After he had followers in his order, Taking care of the sick and poor, he went out with a few and tried to convert neighboring countries. There is a tale of Francis visiting a pagan tribe. He was preaching of Jesus and his love. The Leader of the pagan tribe called forth his priest. They burning hot coals blanket the ground and he ordered his priest to walk on it and by the grace of thier god, not burn his feet. The pagan priest refused the test. Francis then prayed to God And walked end to end upon the hot coals. When he was done, his feet were not even singed. The Leader was very impressed and told him. "You have not won a convert today But you have gained a friend." To which francis replied,"That is a start." Upon returning to his order, he found it in disarray. There were libraries, gold chalices, tapersties. The poor order was not poor any longer. Dismayed by his priests lack of disapline, Francis retreated to a cave as a hermit.  He loved the animals and often preached to them. He wrote and preached to the end of his days. Near the end of his life, he received the blessed stigmata. The acual wounds of Jesus from the Crusifiction. His hands, feet and head bled. After his death, Oct.3,1226, the were miracles and his order eventually returned to his poverty rules, Seeking out the poor and downtrodden to help.  receiving the stigmata. |
