Gianluigi Pasquale 
Saint Francis of Assisi [PDF ebook] 
At the Dawn of a Joyful Existence

Saint Francis was born in Assisi in 1181. He lived a carefree and chivalrous life, but when he was just twenty-four years old a mysterious vision upset his plans. The Crucifix at San Damiano asked him to repair his church. According to some of the brothers, Francis wrote a short Rule and decided to submit it to the Church for approval. In 1224, on Mount La Verna, the Poverello became the first person in history to receive the stigmata or marks of the passion. On the evening of October 3rd, 1226, Francis died, naked on the naked ground. Just one year and nine months later, he was proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory IX. The preface consists of an interview with Pope Francis about the man whose name he has taken.