The Franciscan fits in that vast movement pauperistico the thirteenth century in a spirit of reform aimed against the corruption of morals of the church of time, too involved in political and material interests in the bloody fight to the investiture. To this we must add the flowering of the municipality: the birth of the rich city state, if one part enriched part of the people, resulted in the formation of those rich merchant classes, the so-called people fat, which purchased power at the expense of the old feudal nobility , Making the life metropolitan center of civilization, while leaving inside larghissime slices of peasant class more distress.
Social inequality fierce, but also in social crisis that had to involve medieval Francis in the first person while exercising the profession of merchant. "Poverty", "obedience" and "chastity" are fundamental aspects of the life of Francis and his disciples. After a first period spent in solitude, Francis began to live their vocation with companions who wanted to imitate his example. The humility and asceticism to which they accompanied the work of the holy earned him the name of Imitator Christi ( "Imitatore of Christ") from here begins the experience of "brotherhood" in which each member is an imitator Francisci ( "Imitatore Francis"), and therefore an imitator Christi.
According to the rule dictated by Francis, community life must try to comply with these principles:
Fraternity: the brothers should not live alone, but must take care of their brothers (and in general all) with love and dedication. The same care extends unconditionally not only to humans, but all creation as the work of God and therefore sacred, living in this way universal brotherhood.
Minority: ask below everyone and everything in the service of the order to be truly at the service of God, free from want land that the man away from the well and justice
Poverty: surrender to own any property sharing everything we can with all our brothers, starting from the most needy. At the prayer and meditation, the Rule Franciscan adds the "missionary spirit" in accordance with the precepts evangelical, taking a completely different conduct than the rule followed until then.
It is unclear how their stakes in San Francesco especially the weakest social classes, tendesse with brotherly love toward that "close" often rejected and despised by the company, namely towards the poor, the sick, the loser, the last one. Francis wants to be the "lesser of the Child". It is argued that he applied to the nickname minores companions, since that flout the popolani from the rich, because he wanted to embody the figure of "man of the people". Assisi and St. Mary of the Angels were and are still the beating heart from which party and which returns missionary activity of this new Order of minors, as from then on were called all those who followed (and following) the holy founder assisano . In this way, the spirit of sharing is an example of the communion with God, Jesus Christ, witness of faith and Christian love. In imitation of the poor and the beggars, is the itinerant Franciscan, according to the principle of bringing its material and spiritual support to the next meeting andandogli where he is: applying this rule to the first person Francis lived and scontò a ceaseless roam , Reaching to the borders of Europe, sostendandosi of the work that was offered on the street and where this is not possible, through almsgiving
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