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
The whole of the year 1225, Francis passed in various illnesses and
in great sufferings. Towards autumn, Cardinal Ugolino and Brother Elias
induced him to be removed to Rieti, where there were able physicians
and surgeons who could attend to the state of his eyes. As soon as it
was known in the town, all the inhabitants met, and went to meet him;
but, in order to avoid all the honors preparing for him, he had himself
taken to St. Fabian, a village two miles from Rieti, where he lodged
at the cure's.
The Pope was at Rieti, with all his court, at that time: many of the
principal persons of the court, and even cardinals, came to St. Fabian
to visit the holy man. While they were in conversation with him, the
persons of their suite went into the cure's vineyard to eat grapes,
and they gathered so many that the vineyard was nearly stripped. The
cure was much displeased at this, and complained to St. Francis, who
asked him, how much he thought he had lost? "I usually," replied the
cure, "have made fourteen measures of wine, which were sufficient for
the consumption of my house." "I am sorry," said Francis, "that they
should have done you so much damage, but we must hope that God will
find a remedy for it, and I firmly believe He will, and that, from the
grapes which remain in your vineyard, He will give you fourteen measures
of wine and more." The cure saw this prophecy fulfilled, for he made
twenty measures from the few grapes which had been left. The magistrates
of Rieti caused, at a subsequent period, a convent to be built for the
Friars Minors on this spot; and the same Pope, Gregory IX, out of
respect for the Saint, chose to consecrate the church himself, in which
are still seen representations of the miracle.
After some days Francis could no longer avoid going to Rieti, where
the persons of the court received him with honors, which he gladly
would have dispensed with.--He lodged there with a pious citizen, named
Theobald, a Saracen, who had settled in the town.
The dejection of spirits which his sufferings had brought upon him,
made him desirous of having instrumental music to cheer him; "but,"
says St. Bonaventure, "decorum did not allow him to ask for it, and
it was God's pleasure that he should receive this agreeable consolation
by means of an angel. The mere sound, which was marvellously harmonious,
raised his mind so entirely to God, and filled his soul with so much
delight, that he thought himself in the enjoyment of the joys of the
other world. His intimate companions perceived it, and they frequently
observed that God gave him extraordinary consolations, for the effects
they produced on him were so manifest, that it was impossible for him
to disguise them, and then he admitted to them from whence they arose."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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