Editing Francis of Assisi (section)

===Founding of the Franciscan Order===
====Friars Minor====
One morning in February 1208, Francis was taking part in a Mass in the chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, near which he had by then built himself a hut. The Gospel of the day was the "Commissioning of the Twelve" from the Book of Matthew. The disciples were to go and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Francis was inspired to devote himself to a life of poverty. Having obtained a coarse woollen tunic, the dress then worn by the poorest Umbrian peasants, he tied it around himself with a knotted rope and went about exhorting the people of the countryside to penance, brotherly love and peace. Francis's preaching to ordinary people was unusual as he had no license to do so.{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}}
 
His example attracted others. Within a year Francis had eleven followers. The brothers lived a simple life in the deserted leper colony of Rivo Torto near Assisi. They spent much of their time wandering through the mountainous districts of [[Umbria]], and through their earnestness toward people they encountered, often deeply impressed them.<ref name="cefa" />

[[File:Legend of St. Francis by Giotto.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pope Innocent III]] approving the statutes of the Order of the Franciscans, by [[Giotto]]]]

In 1209 he composed a simple rule for his followers ("friars"), the ''Regula primitiva'' or "Primitive Rule", which came from verses in the Bible. The rule was "to follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps." He then led eleven followers to Rome to seek permission from [[Pope Innocent III]] to found a new religious order.<ref name="chest107">Chesterton (1924), pp.&nbsp;107–108</ref> Upon entry to Rome, the brothers encountered Bishop Guido of Assisi, who had in his company [[Giovanni di San Paolo]], the [[Cardinal Bishop of Sabina]]. The Cardinal, who was the confessor of Pope Innocent&nbsp;III, was immediately sympathetic to Francis and agreed to represent Francis to the pope. After several days, the pope agreed to admit the group informally, adding that when God increased the group in grace and number, they could return for an official audience. The group was [[tonsure]]d.<ref name="Francis of Assisi and His World">Galli (2002), pp.&nbsp;74–80</ref> This was important in part because it recognized Church authority and prevented his following from accusations of heresy, as had happened to the [[Waldensians]] decades earlier. Though a number of the pope's counsellors considered the mode of life proposed by Francis to be unsafe and impractical, following a dream in which he saw Francis holding up the [[Basilica of St. John Lateran|Lateran Basilica]], he decided to endorse Francis's order.  Per tradition, this occurred on 16 April 1210 and constituted the official founding of the [[Franciscan Order]].{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}} The group, then the "Lesser Brothers" (''Order of Friars Minor'' also known as the ''Franciscan Order'' or the ''Seraphic Order''), were centred in the Porziuncola and preached first in Umbria, before expanding throughout Italy.{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}} Francis was later ordained a deacon, but not a priest.<ref name="cefa" />

====Poor Clares and Third Order====
From then on, the new order grew quickly. Hearing Francis preaching in the church of [[Assisi Cathedral|San Rufino]] in Assisi in 1211, the young noblewoman [[Clare of Assisi]] sought to live like them. Her cousin Rufino also sought to join. On the night of [[Palm Sunday]], 28 March 1212, Clare clandestinely left her family's palace. Francis received her at the Porziuncola and thereby established the Order of Poor Clares.<ref name="chest110">Chesterton (1924), pp.&nbsp;110–111</ref> He gave Clare a [[religious habit]], a garment similar to his own, before lodging her, her younger sister Caterina and other young women in a nearby monastery of [[Order of St. Benedict|Benedictine]] nuns until he could provide a suitable monastery. Later he transferred them to San Damiano,{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}} to a few small huts or cells. This became the first monastery of the Second Franciscan Order, now known as [[Poor Clares]].<ref name="cefa" />

For those who could not leave their affairs, Francis later formed the [[Third Order of Saint Francis|Third Order of Brothers and Sisters of Penance]], a fraternity composed of either [[laity]] or clergy whose members neither withdrew from the world nor took [[religious vows]]. Instead, they observed the principles of Franciscan life in their daily lives.{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}} Before long, the Third Order – now titled the [[Secular Franciscan Order]] – grew beyond Italy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Secular Franciscan Order |url=https://secularfranciscansusa.org |access-date=January 13, 2021 |website=Secular Franciscan Order US}}</ref>