Why Pope Francis Named Himself After Italian Saint St Francis of Assisi

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became pope in 2013, he chose a name no pontiff had ever taken: Francis. It was inspired by St Francis of Assisi - the saint of the poor, the humble and the earth. 

From day one, Pope Francis lived by the name. He skipped the lavish Vatican residence for a modest guesthouse. He washed the feet of prisoners, stood with refugees and urged world leaders to act on climate change. In every gesture, he echoed the values of the saint he admired.

Following Pope Francis' death, the world is not only remembering the man who redefined the modern papacy, but also looking back at the saint who inspired it all.

Who was St Francis Of Assisi?

St Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 in Assisi, Italy, to a wealthy cloth merchant named Pietro di Bernardone and his French wife, Pica. His baptismal name was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, but his father nicknamed him Francesco.

Francis grew up in comfort and luxury, receiving basic education in Latin, French and arithmetic to prepare for a career in his father's business.

In 1202, he joined a military expedition against the nearby city of Perugia. He was captured in battle and imprisoned for almost a year, during which time he fell ill and began to question his life of wealth and status.

Around 1205, he experienced a religious vision while praying before a crucifix in the crumbling church of San Damiano, where he heard Christ say, "Francis, rebuild my Church."

Taking the message literally, he began repairing old churches, using money from his father's business, which eventually led to a public falling out.

In 1206, Francis renounced his wealth - he returned his clothes and inheritance to his father in front of the bishop of Assisi, choosing a life of poverty and service. He began living as a beggar, preaching repentance, caring for lepers and embracing the poor and marginalised.

By 1209, Francis attracted a group of followers who were inspired by his radical example of living the Gospel. That same year, he went to Rome and received informal approval from Pope Innocent III to form a new religious order - the Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans.

In 1212, he helped establish a second order for women, called the Poor Ladies of San Damiano, later known as the Poor Clares, led by St Clare of Assisi.

In 1224, while on retreat at Mount La Verna, Francis experienced another mystical event. He "received" the stigmata - the wounds of Christ - making him the first known person in history to bear them.

He died on October 3, 1226, at the age of approximately 44, in a hut near the church of the Portiuncula in Assisi.

In 1228, just two years after his death, Pope Gregory IX officially canonised St Francis of Assisi as a saint.

Francis was declared the patron saint of animals and ecology due to his deep love for nature and all living things.