Editing Francis of Assisi (section)

===Reorganization of the Franciscan Order===
[[File:Francis preaching the birds.fresco. master of st francis. Assisi.jpg|thumb|left|St. Francis preaching to the birds outside of [[Bevagna]] (by [[Master of Saint Francis|Master of St. Francis]]).]] The growing order of friars was divided into [[ecclesiastical province|provinces]]; groups were sent to France, Germany, Hungary and Spain and to the East. Upon receiving a report of the martyrdom of five brothers in [[Morocco]], Francis returned to Italy via [[Venice]].<ref name="b162">Bonaventure (1867), p.&nbsp;162</ref> Cardinal [[Pope Gregory IX|Ugolino di Conti]] was then nominated by the pope as the protector of the order. Another reason for Francis' return to Italy was that the Franciscan Order had grown at an unprecedented rate compared to previous religious orders, but its organizational [[sophistication]] had not kept up with this growth and had little more to govern it than Francis' example and simple rule. To address this problem, Francis prepared a new and more detailed Rule, the "First Rule" or "Rule Without a [[Papal Bull]]" (''Regula prima'', ''Regula non bullata''), which again asserted devotion to poverty and the apostolic life. However, it also introduced a greater institutional structure, though this was never officially endorsed by the pope.{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}}

Brother Peter was succeeded by [[Brother Elias]] as [[Vicar]] of Francis. Two years later, Francis modified the "First Rule", creating the "Second Rule" or "Rule With a Bull", which was approved by Pope Honorius III on 29 November 1223. As the order's official rule, it called on the friars "to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own and in chastity". In addition, it set regulations for discipline, preaching and entering the order. Once the rule was endorsed by the pope, Francis withdrew increasingly from external affairs.{{sfn|Brady|Cunningham|2020}} During 1221 and 1222, he crossed Italy, first as far south as [[Catania]] in Sicily and afterwards as far north as [[Bologna]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ruggeri |first=Francesco Rocco |title=Sicilian Visitors Volume 2 |publisher=Lulu.com |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-387-97789-5}}</ref>