#franciscans

If anyone is seeking God, the Beloved is seeking that person much more.

St. Francis & St. Clare of Assisi Chibis

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𓇢𓆸 The Little Plant of Saint Francis

Saint Clare of Assisi is one of the Church’s greatest examples of courageous faith, joyful poverty, and unwavering devotion to Christ. Though born into nobility, she abandoned every earthly privilege to follow Jesus with her whole heart, proving that true wealth is found not in possessions, but in holiness.

𓇢𓆸 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆

Clare was born around 1194 into a noble family in Assisi, Italy. Raised in a life of privilege, she was known for her intelligence, kindness, and deep compassion for the poor. Even as a young girl, she spent long hours in prayer and desired a life dedicated entirely to God.

Everything changed when she heard Saint Francis of Assisi preach. His message of simplicity, humility, and radical trust in God awakened something already growing within her heart. Clare realized that Christ was calling her to leave behind worldly honor for the joy of the Gospel.

𓇢𓆸 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕

On the night of Palm Sunday in 1212, Clare secretly left her family’s home and went to the little chapel of the Portiuncula, where Saint Francis received her.

There, she exchanged her noble garments for a simple habit, and Francis cut her hair as a sign of her complete dedication to God.

Her relatives tried repeatedly to force her back home, but Clare refused every attempt. She declared that she had chosen Christ as her Bridegroom and would never abandon Him.

Soon her younger sister, Saint Agnes, also joined her, followed by many other women who desired the same life of prayer and poverty.

⛪︎ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔

Together they formed a community at the Monastery of San Damiano, where Clare became the first abbess of what would later be known as the Order of Poor Clares.

Their life centered on prayer, silence, manual work, charity, and complete dependence upon God’s providence.

One of Clare’s greatest desires was what became known as the Privilege of Poverty—the extraordinary permission for her community to own absolutely nothing. While many believed such a way of life was impossible, Clare remained steadfast, convinced that Christ Himself would provide everything they needed.

After years of perseverance, Pope Innocent IV finally approved her rule just two days before her death.

𓇢𓆸 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓

Perhaps the most famous event in Clare’s life occurred when enemy soldiers approached the monastery of San Damiano.

Though seriously ill, Clare asked to be carried to the monastery gate with the Blessed Sacrament. Kneeling before the Eucharistic Lord, she entrusted her sisters to Christ’s protection.

According to tradition, the attackers fled, and the monastery was spared without violence.

For Clare, this miracle was never about her own holiness—it was a testimony to the power and presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

𓇢𓆸 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚

Clare spent nearly forty years leading her sisters through humility, patience, and quiet fidelity.

She also wrote four beautiful letters to Saint Agnes of Prague, encouraging her to keep her eyes fixed on Christ above every earthly attraction. These writings remain some of the most treasured spiritual works of the Middle Ages.

Although her life was hidden behind monastery walls, her witness has inspired countless Christians to seek holiness through simplicity, prayer, and trust in God.

† 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒔

After decades of illness endured with remarkable peace, Clare died on August 11, 1253.

Only two days before her death, she received the long-awaited approval of the Rule she had spent her life defending.

Her holiness was so evident that Pope Alexander IV canonized her just two years later, in 1255.

† 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕

Saint Clare is the patron saint of:

• Television and telecommunications (because tradition holds that she miraculously saw and heard Mass from her cell when she was too ill to attend)

• The Poor Clares

• Eye diseases

• Needleworkers

• Goldsmiths

† 𝑨 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏

Saint Clare reminds us that holiness is not measured by fame, success, or possessions.

She teaches us that:

* Christ is worth leaving everything for.

* Prayer is our greatest strength.

* The Eucharist is our greatest treasure.

* Humility is stronger than power.

* A hidden life lived faithfully for God can change the world.

“Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance! And transform your whole being into the image of God through contemplation.” — Saint Clare of Assisi

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐢, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬!

Coffee With A Codex is an informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators. Everyone is welcome to attend.

On May 28 curator Dot Porter will bring out Ms. Codex 869, a collection of treatises, bullae, and regulations of Franciscan interest, including works of Saint Augustine, Saint Bonaventure, and Saint Bernard and bullae of Eugene IV and Nicholas IV. Written in Italy between 1460 and 1510. We looked at this one on April 30 and only scratched the surface, so we are going in again for a deeper dive.

Register here:

If you want to watch our first visit with this manuscript, you can see it here: