Who is the patron saint of environmentalists and why?
Ecology
24 February 2023
Who is the patron saint of environmentalists? Many professions have their patron saints who, by their deeds done during their lifetime, related to the work of people of today. You may know St Francis of Assisi from your Polish or philosophy lessons. Here you can find out what St Francis is and why he was chosen as his patron saint.
Patron saint of environmentalists - who was St Francis?
You hear a lot about patron saints of people from many fields. The same is true of St Francis - the patron saint of environmentalists. What was Father Francis doing when he was born and what beliefs did he follow? Who was Francis of Assisi?
Saint Francis came from a wealthy family for the times in which he lived. He was born in 1181 and spent the first few years of his life attending school to get an education. In the middle of his life there was a turning point, because it was then that he experienced a vision in which God was to instruct him on the correctness of life. He later took up writing the Franciscan Sources. He renounced worldly goods and began a life of penance, showing that he did not agree with the values he was adopting at the time.
He focused on helping those most in need and in time created his own order, which other scholars were eager to join. The formation at the beginning was called the Order of Friars Minor and over time it grew to nearly ten thousand members. One may wonder why St Francis is the patron saint of environmentalists? You will find out later in this article.
How did the patron saint of environmentalists, St Francis, act?
The patron saint of environmentalists, St Francis was a figure renowned for his warmth - Franciscanism revolved around spreading love, admiring and glorifying beauty and the ideal of poverty. Furthermore, in his view, we should all rejoice in being alive and believe in God.
St Francis, the patron saint of environmentalists, was a staunch ally of the poor and those whose lives did not take him lightly. His firm stance against hatred, cruelty and killing meant that he gathered many followers. He stood against the destruction of nature. He spread words of sincere joy, praise for hard work, ordinary down-to-earth duties and respect towards fellow human beings. He encouraged reflection and action on behalf of the world.
Why is St Francis the patron saint of environmentalists?
The one who is the patron saint of ecology was designated by Pope John Paul II. St Francis of Assisi was chosen because of his convictions and what kind of person he was. However, from the beginning ...
As you already know, St Francis professed a very joyful approach to life and the world around him. He encouraged us to stop cruelty to all living creatures and to admire beauty and adore love.
St Francis has been called the patron saint of environmentalists thanks to his long-standing support provided to animals and his blurring of the boundaries between humans and other creatures. Through the stories found in The Flowers of St Francis, we can learn about how he educated those he encountered on his path about animals, birds and insects.
However, this is not all. St Francis was also a wise man who spread the word about how to care for other elements of nature such as trees, shrubs and flowers. He cared about the safety of the smallest inhabitants of the forest, creating a suitable place for everyone to live. His aim was to create a place where people, animals, insects and other creatures could live in complete harmony devoid of cruelty.
He was also an incredibly intelligent sage who always knew what to advise anyone he met. To those working in the garden, he would suggest what to do to make room on the ground for each of the creatures - even one as small as a bee. It was to the woodcutters that he advised how they should cut down trees so that the rest of the plant could regrow as quickly as possible.
Saint Francis of Assisi worked all his life to ensure that all creatures living on Earth could be here in peace and total harmony. Because of his interest in the natural world and his desire to spread peace, he was named the patron saint of ecology.
Czytaj również
