A merchant's son.
A born performer.
A boy who wanted the whole town to say his name.

Francesco di Bernardone had everything money could buy in the hill town of Assisi — fine cloth, French songs, a crowd that gathered wherever he did.

What he wanted was glory. A knight's glory. The kind sung about in taverns a hundred years later.

He rode out to war to get it.

He came home in chains instead.

What followed was a year in a prison cell, a vision he couldn't shake, and a leper on a road he could no longer bring himself to ride past.

By the end of Part One, the boy who once needed an entire piazza to notice him has given away everything he owns — and found, without meaning to, the beginning of a family.

This is the first half of the story of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Part Two continues right after this episode.

🎧 For the best experience, listen with headphones to fully immerse yourself in the music and sound design.
🤝 If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.
☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/Voicesofthesaints

This episode draws on the earliest Franciscan sources — including the writings of Thomas of Celano and Bonaventure — alongside other historical accounts. While we've done our best to ensure accuracy and reverence, some elements have been adapted or dramatized for narrative and production purposes. Our goal is to honour the spirit and message of the saints while making their stories engaging and accessible to modern listeners.

Introduction Music Generated by Renee Annabelle Sieff
All credit belongs to Renee Annabelle Sieff for Intro Music

This episode is based on accounts from the Coptic Synaxarium, early church tradition, and other historical sources. While we’ve done our best to ensure accuracy and reverence, some elements have been adapted or dramatized for narrative and production purposes. Our goal is to honour the spirit and message of the saints while making their stories engaging and accessible to modern listeners.