Francis' Joy and Poverty
1202 AD
1202 1202
12.37E43.00N
MISC

ASSISI, ITALY
	If the young men of Assisi, Italy, were having a party, you could bet Giovanni Francesco Bernardone was there as king of the revelers.
	But after a sickness in 1202, Francis became dissatisfied with his life and set of on a military expedition, but on his first day he fell sick again and came home to Assisi.  Returning to his old ways, Francis and a band of revelers paraded through town when suddenly his companions noticed he was missing.  Retracing their steps they found him in a trance, from which he emerged a completely changed man who was devoted to solitude and prayer.
	Another turning point in Francis' life came one day when he saw a leper as he was walking along the street. Francis abhorred lepers and passed him by, but his conscience bothered him. Suddenly he turned around, went back to the leper, gave the leper his money and kissed his hand.
	From that day, Francis began helping lepers and working in hospitals.
	But Francis' father was afraid he would give away all his money, so he disinherited him.  In response, Francis took off even the clothes his father had provided.  Covered with a borrowed cloak he went to live on Mt. Subasio, where he rebuilt a ruined chapel.
	Francis's life of joy and poverty attracted disciples, who were the beginning of the Franciscan monastic order.  Francis preached throughout north-central Italy and undertook missionary trips to  Muslims in Palestine, Spain and Egypt.