The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of AssisiChalippe, Candide
Religion
The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of Assisi
Chalippe, Candide
Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182-1226; Miracles -- Early works to 1800
Daniel arrived first with three of his companions, the master of the
vessel not having thought proper to take on board more. They lived out
of the town, in a village inhabited by traders from Pisa, Genoa, and
Marseilles, because Christians might not enter the town without a
particular permission. Their occupation here was to preach to these
traders, until they should be joined by their companions, who arrived
there on the 29th of September.
The following Friday, which was the first of October, they consulted
together as to their future plans, and the aids they should require
in the formidable combat they were about to sustain. On the Saturday,
they confessed and received the Holy Communion, without which, when
it is possible to receive it, St. Cyprian would not suffer confessors
to be exposed to martyrdom for the faith, because it is the Body and
the Blood of Jesus Christ which gives the strength to endure it. St.
Chrysostom and St. Bernard, also, say that it is the firmest defence
which can be opposed to the temptations of the devil, and to the
allurements of sin, which are powerful motives for having recourse to
frequent Communion.
The seven brothers went forth from the holy table, according to the
expression of St. Chrysostom, "as roaring lions, breathing fire and
flames," and they could not restrain the zeal which animated them. On
the evening of the same day, they washed each other's feet, in order
to follow the example of the Son of God, who washed His disciples'
feet before His Passion; and very early on the Sunday morning, before
there were any persons in the streets, they entered the town, having
their heads strewed with ashes, and commenced crying out with a loud
voice, "There is no salvation but through Jesus Christ."
The Moors soon collected, abused and beat them, and led them to the
king. The missionaries then repeated, in presence of the learned in
the law, what they had previously said to the people, "That it is
requisite to believe in Jesus Christ; that there is no salvation in
any other name than His," which they proved by the most forcible
arguments. The king, who fully understood that in thus upholding the
name of Jesus Christ they rejected that of Mahomet, looked upon them
as idiots, and thought that their shaven heads, with a crown of hair
round them, was a proof of their folly. However, to prove their
constancy, he had them confined in a loathsome jail, where he kept
them eight days in irons, and where they were cruelly treated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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