by Elizabeth Salthouse
As Italy prepares to commemorate its patron saint on October 4th, we're reminded of his life's work. Living in poverty, renouncing worldly goods and working with lepers, San Francesco lived a pious, humble life. And there are many legends around his work and teachings. But he wasn't just interested in the soul of man, championing the countryside, protection of nature and all God's creatures. Let's celebrate San Francesco of Assisi, the first environmentalist and patron saint of ecology.
The early years
Baptized Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in 1181, but quickly nicknamed Francesco or "the Frenchman" by his father, the young saint was one of seven children of a wealthy silk merchant and a noblewoman. The siblings grew up in the hill town of Assisi in Umbria, overlooking the plains reaching across to Perugia, and life was comfortable for the high-spirited youngster.
Fonte: L'italo-Americano
