Saint Bonaventure 
The Life of St. Francis of Assisi 

Saint Francis of Assisi is the founder of the Franciscan Order and one of the most influential figures of medieval Christian history. Written in 1260 over thirty years after Saint Francis’ death and canonization, “The Life of St. Francis of Assisi” is the biography of the beloved religious leader by Saint Bonaventure, an important Italian saint, theologian, historian, and early member of the Franciscan Order. Saint Francis was born to a prosperous merchant family and lived his early life carefree and consumed with material possessions. He underwent a religious conversion as a young adult and began to devote himself to a life of poverty and faith. While Saint Francis was never formally educated or ordained as a priest, he traveled the countryside preaching and built a strong following of faithful devotees who were inspired by his pure life of abstinence and piety. Saint Francis eventually received formal permission from the pope to create the Franciscan Order, which grew quickly. Centuries later, Saint Francis remains venerated the world over and is often associated with his love of animals and the natural world. “The Life of St. Francis of Assisi” is an engrossing and riveting portrayal of a man wholly devoted to his faith.