Tales from Italy

Every 4 October, Italy honours its Patron Saint, St. Francis. Nowhere is this felt more keenly than in Assisi, his home town, where the celebrations stretch over several days and fill the whole town with religious events, awards, conferences and re-enactments.

Saint Clare of Assisi was the most famous of Saint Francis' proteges. Turning her back on a life of luxury as the daughter of a wealthy family, Clare chose poverty and devotion to God. The tiny chapel and convent of San Damiano became the centre of Clare's new religious order, which was known in her lifetime as the "Order of Poor Ladies of San Damiano". The town of Assisi still pays homage to Clare's life of devotion and acts of charity.

Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans in the 13th century. Francis was inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty as a beggar and itinerant preacher, and there are hundreds of works of art honouring this extraordinary man in and around Assisi.