Address
Hasimaara, Aipurduar, 735215, WB
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Monday to Friday: 8AM - 2PM
Teacher's & Admin
St. Francis of Assisi
A life-changing encounter with a leper and a voice from the cross of San Damiano led to his conversion. He renounced his possessions and dedicated himself to rebuilding churches.
On February 24, 1208, the feast of Saint Matthias, Francis was working in the small church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, known as the Portiuncula, when he heard a passage from the Gospel of Matthew. Inspired by this message, he chose the life of a poor, itinerant preacher, spreading the message of penance and peace. Soon, followers joined him, forming a brotherhood devoted to living the Gospel. Within a short time, Francis and his companions traveled to Rome, where they sought approval for their simple rule—consisting of Gospel texts and a few guidelines—from Pope Innocent III, who granted them oral approval.
Francis is also credited with drafting a Gospel rule for the Poor Ladies (later known as the Poor Clares) and another for laypeople who wished to live a devout Christian life while remaining in their homes.
Francis was born in the small Umbrian city of Assisi in the year 1182 to Pietro di Bernadone, a wealthy textile merchant, and Pica, a woman from a distinguished French family, probably from Picardy. His wealth and love of life made him a leader among Assisi’s youth, filling him with dreams of grandeur.
During the conflict between Assisi and Perugia, he enlisted in the battle of Collestrada but was imprisoned when Assisi’s troops were defeated. After his release, he returned to Assisi and abandoned his military ambitions and business prospects to follow the divine call stirring within him.
A life-changing encounter with a leper and a voice from the cross of San Damiano led to his conversion. He renounced his possessions and dedicated himself to rebuilding churches.
On February 24, 1208, the feast of Saint Matthias, Francis was working in the small church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, known as the Portiuncula, when he heard a passage from the Gospel of Matthew. Inspired by this message, he chose the life of a poor, itinerant preacher, spreading the message of penance and peace. Soon, followers joined him, forming a brotherhood devoted to living the Gospel. Within a short time, Francis and his companions traveled to Rome, where they sought approval for their simple rule—consisting of Gospel texts and a few guidelines—from Pope Innocent III, who granted them oral approval.
Francis is also credited with drafting a Gospel rule for the Poor Ladies (later known as the Poor Clares) and another for laypeople who wished to live a devout Christian life while remaining in their homes.
Life and Legacy
Francis’s life was marked by his deep identification with the mysteries of Christ. On December 25, 1223, in Greccio, he popularized the Nativity scene, a dramatic representation of Christ’s birth, which became a lasting tradition in Christian spirituality.
His biographers note his profound devotion to the Eucharist, seeing in it the ultimate expression of God’s humility and love for humanity. However, it was the Crucified Christ that captivated him the most. On September 14, 1224, while in deep prayer, Francis received the stigmata—the wounds of Christ—making him the first known saint to bear them.
In his later years, he suffered from blindness and severe illness, yet continued his preaching missions, cared for lepers, and urged his followers to remain faithful to the Gospel. On October 3, 1226, Francis passed away at Santa Maria degli Angeli, the Portiuncula.
Less than two years later, on July 16, 1228, Pope Gregory IX canonized him as a saint. In 1939, he was declared the Patron Saint of Italy, and in 1980, Pope John Paul II named him the Patron Saint of Ecology in recognition of his deep love for nature and all of creation.
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Contact Info
Address
Hasimara, 735215
Phone
8670703785
sfshasimara85@gmail.com
About Us
Established on January 26, 1985, St. Francis English Medium School, Hasimara, is run by the Franciscans of the Ranchi Franciscan Society, Jharkhand (Headquarters), a branch of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi, Italy. The school serves both tribal and non-tribal children from tea gardens and underprivileged sections of the locality.