If the newly elected Pope Francis wanted to portray himself as a humble man of few pleasures who is in touch with the poor, he could not have picked the name of a more apt saint.
St Francis of Assisi, born into a wealthy Italian merchant family in 1181, remains a potent symbol for Catholics after shunning the riches of a comfortable upbringing and devoting himself to God and the poor.
According to Vatican expert Bruno Bartoloni,the inspiration for the new Pope’s name comes directly from the 13th century monk.
“I think he owes his name to Saint Francis of Assisi above all,” Bartoloni told AFP.
The new pope “has a lot of empathy for poor, humble people,” he said.
Pope Francis, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires whose name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, chose the name Francis himself.
US President Barack Obama hailed him as “a champion of the poor and the most vulnerable among us”.
“He carries forth the message of love and compassion that has inspired the world for more than 2,000 years, that in each other we see the face of God,” he said.
Father Guillermo Marco, a close associate from his time as bishop in Buenos Aires, said: “He’s always been a big admirer of St Francis of Assisi.”
St Francis was not always a shining beacon of light for all things holy. But his conversion from party-loving youth to devoted Christian means he remains one of the Church’s most popular saints.
Raised in the central region of Umbria in the late 12th century, Francis grew up in an age of wealth — thanks to his rich father Pietro — and permissiveness.
As a young adult Francis was popular and charismatic, happy-go-lucky and a born leader who enjoyed all the pleasures of the time.
His biographer, Thomas of Celano, knew him well and wrote: “In other respects an exquisite youth, he attracted a whole retinue of young people addicted to evil and accustomed to vice.”
Francis would later admit that, during this time: “I lived in sin.”
Originally named Francis by his father to honour his admiration for France, Francis’s rollicking ways were eventually curtailed by his desire to pursue glory by becoming a knight in battle.
The opportunity arose when his town of Assisi declared war on Perugia. When most of Assisi’s troops were killed, Francis was taken prisoner for ransom.
He was finally released after a year thanks to his father’s riches and later answered the call for knights for the Fourth Crusade.
This time, Francis’s quest lasted barely a day. Shortly after departing in an exquisite armour and an embroidered cloak, Francis had a dream in which God told him his calling lay elsewhere.
He returned home to be humiliated, laughed at and mocked by his father. But it was to be the beginning of his slow conversion.
Francis began to devote himself to prayer and is said to have passed his first test from God when he kissed the hand of a leper.
His chroniclers say he was then spoken to by Christ on the crucifix at the ancient church of San Damiano. “Francis, repair my church.”
Taking the instructions literally, Francis returned to his father’s home and took fabric from his father’s shop and sold it to raise funds.
Seeing the act as one of theft, Francis’s father dragged him in front of the bishop, who told him to return the money and God would provide.
It is regarded as a key moment in the life of Saint Francis, who from then on shunned the material pleasures of his life to devote himself to God, preaching to the poor and gathering followers.
Some of the most memorable quotes in Christianity are from Saint Francis. One reads: “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”
Times may have changed, but Pope Francis is renowned for his humble lifestyle which led him to forego a sumptuous residency in Buenos Aires for a more humble apartment.
Marco said: “He takes the metro, he likes to travel in the company of people and he rarely uses a car with a chauffeur.
“When he was a cardinal, he continued to live the life of a simple priest. He is faultless.”
St Francis's humble style inspires new pope
