The prison where Saint Francis of Assisi was locked up by his father

There are numerous temples full of history and meaning that are spread throughout the unique city of Assisi, the place where Saint Francis was born and lived, whose festival is celebrated every October 4.

One of these places is, without a doubt, what tradition identifies as the house where the saint was born and lived until he was 24 years old, converted into a church in 1615 under the name of New Church (New Church) by the will of the Spanish King Philip III.

Inside the temple you can still distinguish some rooms that belonged to the family of the “Poor Man of Assisi”. Among them, a small “prison” stands out where his father locked him up and chained him to punish him for embracing poverty and deciding to live an evangelical life.

At the doors of this cell, protected with iron bars and inside which there is a sculpture of the saint in prayer dating from the 17th century, you can read an inscription on a marble slab indicating that his father, Pietro di Bernardone, imprisoned “ to his sweet son.”

Saint Francis of Assisi belonged to a wealthy and renowned family in this enclave in the area of ​​Umbria, in Italy, which over time came to be called “the city of peace.”

His father, Pietro, traded especially in France and, because he was in this country when his son was born, the future saint was nicknamed “Francesco” (the Frenchman), since his baptismal name was John.

Discovering his poverty-oriented vocation, Francisco sold a horse and several clothes that his father traded in to help a priest rebuild the temple of San Damiano.

Enraged by what had happened, and seeing how the neighbors made fun of his son who was now dressed in rags, Pietro Bernardone took him home to beat him. Before locking him in the small prison, he also put shackles on his feet.

It was his mother, named Pica, who was in charge of releasing her son. His father, upon finding out, went looking for him and forced him to renounce his inheritance, something that Francisco had no difficulty in doing.

Despite his father’s opposition, the saint who inspired Pope Francis to choose his name lived the rest of his days being an example of poverty, chastity and obedience with a purity and strength typical of his eternal testimony.

It has been updated for republication.