Taken as a prisoner of war, St. Francis of Assisi was thrust into a horrifying dungeon with others who had fought in the battles, but also many who had been there for years.
St. Francis of Assisi’s Cellmate
Very injured upon arrival, St. Francis of Assisi had a cellmate whose name is still unknown. But without this man, Francesco would have remained and died a naïve and stupid young man.
Instead, this anonymous saint had hidden a copy of the Holy Bible within his cell which was illegal at the time. Nursing St. Francis back to health with the garments from his own body to nurse the saint's wounds, St. Francis only learned of his cellmate’s secret book when the guards came to execute him for having it.
Before they arrived, he placed the Holy Bible deep within the bandages upon St. Francis of Assisi’s ravaged body as the saint heard the refusal of the unknown hero to renounce his faith as he died.
St. Francis of Assisi Utilizes Scripture to Maintain Hope
Days passed before St. Francis realized what the old man had put deep within his bandages. But when he found it, he began to read it ferociously, memorizing the scriptures that contained the hope that would keep him alive in this awful hell hole where people died every day horrific deaths. As he recovered from his wounds, the words of the bible became emblazoned in his mind and spirit and he knew them by heart.
St. Francis of Assisi’s Father Learns of His Son’s Survival
A couple of years passed before somebody who knew of Francesco’s whereabouts was released from the prison. Immediately, he sought out Francesco’s father and Clare whom Francesco had spoken so highly about. When they learned he was alive, St. Francis of Assisi’s father took a journey to the prison to find his son almost dead – already placed upon a pile of bodies; worn, battered and weary from torture and starvation.
He took him home to nurse him back to health. St. Francis remained unconscious and incoherent for a very long time. It was uncertain whether he would ever be restored to health. When he did finally awake, he raved like a madman and his family didn’t know if they would ever be able to have him back the way he had been before his ordeal.
St. Francis had gone through a profound change in his life which would manifest soon in his call to conversion.
St. Francis of Assisi Receives his Call
St. Francis of Assisi Rebuilds San Damiano
Sources: Saint Francis – A Film by Michele Soavi, Francis of Assisi Complete Writings in Three Volumes, The Saint, The Founder, The Prophet – Compiled by Regis Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., J. A. Wayne Hellmann, O.F.M. Conv., William J. Short, O.F.M., The Little Flowers of St. Francis – By Raphael Brown, Saint Francis of Assisi – By Thomas of Celano, God’s Fool: The Life and Times of St. Francis of Assisi, By Julien Green, Clare of Assisi, The Lady – Translation by Regis J. Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, Translation by Regis J. Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap., and Ignatius C. Brady, O.F.M., Clare of Assisi: Her Spirituality Revealed in her Letters – By Claire Marie Ledoux
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