St Francis Assisi is a major feast in the Franciscan calendar. Catholics believe that this day marks the saint’s afterlife which they deeply remember and celebrate. The day is celebrated on 4th October every year. Originally the Italian city of Assisi was decorated with holy lights.
Saint Francis was a quintessential saint who dedicated his life to God and became a famous Christian. He is an ideal man for all Catholics. However, many do not know enough about the significance of this festival. So if you are curious enough to know then this article is for you. Here is a detailed discussion about this great festival.
When is St Francis Assisi Celebrated?
You may not know that Saint Francis lived a colorful life before becoming a saint. Later he realized God with his mind and dedicated himself to God. That is why this day is celebrated to commemorate the holy journey of his next life. Everyone considers Francis their role model and remembers Francis’ journey on October 4 every year and prays for his blessings. People of all ages participate in religious worship on this day.
The exact date of Francis’ birth is not known. But he is believed to have been born in 1181 or 1182. Besides, it is known from history that he was the son of a rich cloth merchant. That is why he had enough luxuries. He enjoyed life in many ways and had many happy times. He then joined military operations due to duty.
After spending a year he fell seriously ill and realized that life is fleeting and at any time man can go to God. As he understood this mortal life, he imagined the blissful life as insignificant. According to him they are worthless. He joined the group of poor people to discover the depth of life and saw the various sufferings closely. Basically he tried to get very close to God and finally succeeded.
Why Celebrate St Francis Assisi?
This day is mainly observed for the purpose of improving the divine thought in the mind of people. It is believed that if man feels the existence of God and devotes himself to God, he will stay away from the trivial things of the world. He will associate himself only with things where God can be experienced. These thoughts started with Francis. For this reason he went away from all the luxuries and pleasures of life. He believed he could talk to God and experience the afterlife. Perhaps when Francis became ill he realized that there is nothing better than worshiping God.
After arriving in Assisi, Francis noticed that the church there was in ruins. This troubled him and he wanted this holy place of God to be repaired. But since he had given up a life of luxury and money, he had no money to repair it. He then stole some clothes from his father’s business and sold them. Some of the money from the sale Francis wanted to pay for the repairs of the church. But the priest did not take that money because it was stolen money. This also led to his conflict with Francis’ father.
But Francis did not want to deviate from his religious path, so he began living in a cave to avoid his father. At one point he became a beggar but still devoted his life to God. He worked to relieve the suffering of the poor and helpless people in Assisi.
How to Celebrate St Francis Assisi?
People celebrate the day with some holy activities on this day. They recall the biography of Francis and realize that any sacrifice for God leads man to goodness and freedom from the sins of earthly life. People engage in worship on this day and remember the memory of Francis. Everyone gathers to celebrate a holy day with the whole family in the historic church of Assisi.
Animals are harmless so taking care of them is also part of obedience to God. Since Francis was kind to all things, animals can also be preserved in his memory. People take special care of their animals on this day. Children believe that their animal can also receive God’s blessing. Besides, taking an oath of duty towards all the poor and helpless people like Francis is also part of the celebration.
