St. Francis strip naked in church for real?

[atassina]

Did St. Francis remove his clothes in church, hand them to the bishop and leave everything as a sign of his relinquishing all earthly riches, power and control? Mark 10:21

Was this his symbol of abandoning himself into the hands of God to follow the Cross in the ways of God with the Gospels as his light?

 

[pianistclare]

I believe it was at a court. His father was demanding return of the money he gave to his son, who then gave the money to the poor.
As least that’s what I recall of the story…
From “Vita di San Francesco d’Assisi - Lo sposo di Madonna Povertà” pag. 26

*Francis went on behaving more and more strangely, up to when he start walking around Assisi dressed in rags and very dirty.

Poor Pietro Bernardone found, or better, picked up him in that condition.

Convinced that his son was mad, he took Francis home and locked him up in a room which today is called “St. Francis’ cell”.

As he used, Pietro Bernardone left again to trade so he entrusted Francis to his mother’s care…who freed him!

Only the History tells us the conclusion: Pietro Bernardone came back from his travels, discovered that Francis was free, started to look for him and decided to disinherit him.

** Since Pietro was a laic and thought as a laic, he turned to the Consuls of Assisi, but Francis - who this time didn’t feared to face up to his father - turned to the Bishop of Assisi Guido II and renounced publicly this father’s wealth. ***

And handed his father’s clothing back to him. He father was a silk merchant.

 

[atassina]

thanks

 

[sirach2v4]

The version of the story that I heard seemed to indicate that Francis never spoke to his father again, after that incident with the clothes.

It sounds like Francis was quite insulting to his biological father. Perhaps it represents a psychological break with the past that he needed to make.

 

[pianistclare]

The version of the story that I heard seemed to indicate that Francis never spoke to his father again, after that incident with the clothes.

It sounds like Francis was quite insulting to his biological father. Perhaps it represents a psychological break with the past that he needed to make.

His father was suing him for the money that he claimed he gave to Francis to make sales.
Francis gave it to the Church. His dad then claimed that it was not his to give away.
Francis and Francis mother, both begged the father to turn to God and away from the pursuit of wealth. He refused. He also beat Francis almost to death, and locked him away forbidding his mother to feed him.
Yeah, not a great relationship.
But Francis did not intend to hurt his father. He was being true to the Gospel.

 

[JReducation]

Did St. Francis remove his clothes in church, hand them to the bishop and leave everything as a sign of his relinquishing all earthly riches, power and control? Mark 10:21

Was this his symbol of abandoning himself into the hands of God to follow the Cross in the ways of God with the Gospels as his light?

The three earliest biographers and historians of the order, who were also eyewitnesses to the event tell us that Francis stripped completely naked.

This was at a trial, not a liturgy. Ecclesiastical trials took place in the bishop’s home. If there were too many people, they were held in a courtyard. We are not sure whether this trial was indoors or out in a courtyard. Hollywood has always portrayed it as a courtyard. But two of the three early biographers refer to the bishop’s court and only one refers to the courtyard.

It is more likely that it was indoors, because the bishop was wearing his cappa. The cappa was not normally worn outside. It was too dirty out there. We know about the cappa, because the bishop covers him with it. There are also servants handy. One of the servants ran to get a piece of clothing from the servant’s quarters. This was Francis’ first habit.

You must remember that Francis of Assisi was a romantic. His gestures were always very dramatic. This is part of his charm. There is never any doubt as to what he’s thinking, because his gestures speak volumes.

As to the reason behind this dramatic gesture we must remember that Francis was the oldest son of Pietro Bernadone. He was the heir to the Bernardone fortune and the Bernadone name. Upon the death of his father, he would become the head of the family. Francis was the oldest of seven.

In order to embrace poverty as prescribed in the Gospel, it was necessary that he disinherit himself. Since his father did not disinherit him, which has always been everyone’s question, “Why not? The kid undermined the father at every turn,” but Francis took matters into his own hands and disinherits himself.

He not only gives back his father his money, he returns to him his name as well. This is a total break with his biological family. From that moment on, he was no longer Giovanni Bernadone the heir apparent to Pietro Bernadone. He was simply Brother Francis. As I said above, to make sure that his point is clearly understood, he strips himself and returns the clothes for which his father had paid.

 

[JReducation]

The version of the story that I heard seemed to indicate that Francis never spoke to his father again, after that incident with the clothes.

It sounds like Francis was quite insulting to his biological father. Perhaps it represents a psychological break with the past that he needed to make.

This is very unlikely. Francis’ second brother, Angelo, had a son who entered the order. It would seem that the relationship with the family was healed over time. Also, Francis’ parents outlived him. It is highly unlikely that a man whom the entire world considered a living saint and who had become one of the most influential figures in the Church of the Middle Ages would be allowed to die without seeing his parents who lived up the road from San Damiano. I can’t imagine his parents and other family members not attending his funeral.

As to rudeness, Favarsham, one of the earliest biographers, who was also an eyewitness to these events, tells us that Francis was never rude or disrespectful of his father. Francis was impulsive. That explains taking the cloth, selling it and giving the money to the curate at San Damiano. As Favarsham is clever enough to point out, Francis was the heir to the Bernandone fortune. One can look at it from the point of view of the father who felt that he had been robbed, because the money had been given away or the point of view of the son who felt that all of this was his inheritance, which he was used to helping himself when he celebrated with his friends. His father never protested.

Francis’ speech to his father is very matter of fact. “I no longer call you father. I give you back your possessions and your name.” Francis was never known for wasting words. Even during his life as the superior general, when Francis said to a friar, “Jump” the only response that he expected was “How high?” He was very consistent in this, to the point that he writes into the admonitions and into the rule that we are not to argue,not even in defense of the faith. You speak what needs to be said. If the other person does not listen, then leave. Don’t try to persuade him. One of Francis’ typical expressions when someone disagreed with him was, “This conversation is over.” He would walk away. There are letters and diaries by early friars who tell of their experience with Francis’ simple use of language.

I think that in our mind, we expect saints to be smooth, diplomatic, gentle and all kinds of things that make them more like angels than human beings. We must never forget that grace builds on nature, but it does not change nature.

Francis was a straitshooter, not a rude person. Grace was not going to change that. It would only change what Francis said, not how he said it.

 

[corsair]

Good to see you back on the Forum, Br. JR. Thanks for your information on St. Francis.

 

[pianistclare]

Yes, happy to see you back. Thank you for your teaching!

 

[atassina]

JR,
Great answers. This satisfies both my curiosity and desire for knowledge.

Also, your description of Francis’ speaking style lends support to the commonly held belief that St. Francis said, “I always preach the Gospel. Sometimes I use words.” Whether or not St. Francis actually made this aphorism, remains for more conclusive evidence. I choose to believe he said it because of his speaking style.

 

[pablope]

This is very unlikely. Francis’ second brother, Angelo, had a son who entered the order. It would seem that the relationship with the family was healed over time. Also, Francis’ parents outlived him. It is highly unlikely that a man whom the entire world considered a living saint and who had become one of the most influential figures in the Church of the Middle Ages would be allowed to die without seeing his parents who lived up the road from San Damiano. I can’t imagine his parents and other family members not attending his funeral.

I think that in our mind, we expect saints to be smooth, diplomatic, gentle and all kinds of things that make them more like angels than human beings. We must never forget that grace builds on nature, but it does not change nature.

Francis was a straitshooter, not a rude person. Grace was not going to change that. It would only change what Francis said, not how he said it.

Thanks, Bro. JR.

One more question, if you do not mind…

I watched the bio movie of St. Francis and St. Claire.

Anyway, my question is when he went to the pope to get approval of his way of life/order, as per the movie, the pope first refused him…then St. Francis and his companions then went to a pig sty to stay there, till they were summoned by the pope and given approval.

Is this account true?