| |
The
Life and Times of Francis of Assisi
Francis
Chooses “Lady Poverty”
Francis
Meets the Sultan
The
First Christmas Crèche
An
Ecologist before His Time
Suggestions
for Reading
Legend
of St Francis :
11. Francis before the Sultan
Giotto di Bondone, 1297-1300
Fresco, 270 x 230 cm
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
|
|
Francis
Meets the Sultan
According
to St. Bonaventure’s biography (1266) the meeting of St.
Francis with the Sultan took place in 1219.
At that
time fierce fighting was taking place between the Christians
and Saracens. Their two armies were drawn up opposite each other
at close quarters in a field. Francis, hoping to achieve his
purpose, decided to make the journey to meet the Sultan. He
took with him as his companion a friar who was an enlightened
man of great virtue. When they arrived at the outpost, the Saracen
sentries fell upon them. They dragged them away, treating them
with insults, beating them and putting them in chains. Then,
exhausted as they were by the ill-treatment they had received,
they were dragged before the Sultan Malik-al-Kamil. The Sultan
asked them by whom and why and in what capacity they had been
sent, and how they got there. Francis replied that they had
been sent by God, not by man, to show him and his subjects the
way of salvation and proclaim the truth of the Gospel message.
Francis
proclaimed the triune God and Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all,
with such steadfastness, with such courage and spirit, that
it was clear the promise of the Gospel had been fulfilled in
him: I will give you such eloquence and such wisdom as all
your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to confute.
When the
Sultan saw his enthusiasm and courage, he listened to him willingly
and pressed him to stay with him. Then he offered Francis a
number of valuable presents, but the saint, anxious only for
the salvation of souls, had no interest in the things of this
earth and so he scorned them all as if they were so much dust.
The Sultan was lost in admiration at the sight of such perfect
disregard for worldly wealth and he felt greater respect than
ever for Francis.
|
|
