The Franciscans

The Franciscans (Lat. Ordo Fratrum Minorum; «Minorite», «Smaller brothers») - Catholic mendicant religious order founded by St.Francis of Assisi near the place of Spoleto in 1208. The purpose of their sermon was the popularization among people of ideas of apostolic poverty, asceticism, love one's neighbor. In the early ages the Franciscans were known in England as «gray brothers» (called so because of the color of their robes), in France - as «Cordillère» (because they girded themselves with a rope), in Germany - as «Barefooted» (because of their sandals that they wore on their bare feet), in Italy - as «Brothers». The Statute ordered absolute poverty, preaching of sermons, caring after bodies and souls of sick people and strict obedience to the Pope.