Showing results for "Francis" in Biographies

What does it mean to be an imitator of Christ? Find out by exploring the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi and the movements he inspired with one of the world's leading Franciscan experts as your guide.

One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/82-1226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonized after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies and modern environmentalists. The "poverello" wrote poems praising the sun, moon, and stars, spoke to the birds, and—so the story goes—even tamed a wolf. But what do we know for sure about who he was, and what is simply legend?

Meticulously researched and brilliantly taught, this course is a rare opportunity to learn about Pope Francis from a leading Church historian. On March 13, 2013, the world watched as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the words habemus Papam rang through St. Peter's Square. The crowd was taken aback as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio became the leader of the world's largest religious community and took the name of Francis - a name that no other pope had ever chosen before.