St. Francis of Assisi: 7 interesting facts about the famous Italian saint

A 13th-century fresco of St. Francis of Assisi by the Florentine painter Cimabue, one of the earliest depictions of the saint, is located in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy.  / Credit: Jacob Stein/Crux Stationalis CNA Staff, Oct 4, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis of Assisi every year on Oct. 4. Known as the patron saint of animals and ecology, the 13th-century Italian…