The Life of Saint Francis

Thomas of Celano wrote this biography of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1228-1229, just two years after Francis's death. The text was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX to serve as the first official life story of the newly canonized saint. The narrative follows Francis from his early life as the son of a wealthy merchant through his spiritual awakening and founding of the Franciscan order. The account includes Francis's interactions with society, nature, and his fellow brothers, along with descriptions of miracles attributed to him. The author had direct knowledge of Francis, having joined the Franciscan order during Francis's lifetime and observed him personally. The text combines eyewitness accounts with information gathered from Francis's closest companions. As a foundational work of Franciscan literature, this biography establishes key themes of radical poverty, humble service, and unity with God's creation that would define the Franciscan movement. The text presents Francis as both a historical figure and a model of Christian virtue.

Readers value this biography as one of the earliest firsthand accounts of Francis of Assisi, written just two years after his death. Many note the vivid details and personal observations from someone who knew Francis directly. Likes: - Clear chronological structure - Inclusion of specific miracles and events - Historical context of 13th century Italy - Details about Francis's personality and daily life Dislikes: - Medieval writing style can feel dense - Heavy focus on miracles over biographical details - Some readers find the tone too reverential - Translation quality varies between editions From online reviews: "Provides intimate glimpses into Francis's character that later biographies lack" - Goodreads reviewer "Too focused on supernatural elements rather than the man himself" - Amazon review Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (43 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (31 ratings)

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🌟 Thomas of Celano was commissioned to write this biography just two years after Francis's death, making it the earliest known account of Saint Francis's life. 🌟 The book was written at the request of Pope Gregory IX, who had been a personal friend of Saint Francis and was the cardinal who had canonized him. 🌟 To research the biography, Thomas of Celano interviewed the surviving companions of Francis, including Brother Leo and Brother Bernard of Quintavalle, providing firsthand accounts of the saint's life. 🌟 This work contains the first written description of the Christmas crèche (Nativity scene) tradition, which Saint Francis started in 1223 in Greccio, Italy. 🌟 The biography was temporarily suppressed in 1266 when the Franciscan Order ordered all copies to be destroyed in favor of a new official biography by Saint Bonaventure, though some copies survived.