"Francis, go and repair My house, which, as you see, is falling completely into ruin." In 1206, St. Francis of Assisi heard this command three times while in prayer in the Church of San Damiano. And though he died at only 45, St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) had drawn around him, through the example of his humility and his purity, a vast number of followers, who became the start of the Franciscan Order. It was through his Order that he was able to faithfully fulfill the command to repair not only a small chapel in Assisi, but the entire church of the known world. His communities lived out a radical commitment to the Gospel message of poverty and, in the process, left a legacy that captured the imagination of both believer and non-believer alike.
The author's cover photo is the earliest known painting of Francis. It is located at the Subiaco Monastery, Subiaco, Italy. This monastery enshrines the sacred cave (Sacro Speco) where St. Benedict, around 500, chose to live as a hermit for three years. Benedict was eventually discovered in his cave and invited to become the superior of a nearby established monastery. Benedict lived in the area for 20 years, during which time he wrote his famous Rule that would become the standard guideline for western monasticism.
This fresco of St. Francis is located in St. Gregory's Chapel at the Subiaco Monastery. It is labeled "Fr. Franciscus," and the saint is shown without the stigmata or a halo indicating it was painted during his lifetime, before 1224. The Byzantine influence of the chapel's Roman painters can especially be seen in this portrait -- Francis is shown facing front and with one eye larger than the other, recalling the famous icon of Christ at St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.
