Clare of Assisi

Životopis

Born Chiara Offreduccio in 1194 in Assisi, Italy, Clare was moved by Saint Francis's preaching to abandon her wealthy family and embrace radical poverty. In 1212, Francis established her in the convent of San Damiano, where she founded the Order of Poor Ladies (now the Poor Clares), dedicated to strict enclosure, poverty, and eucharistic devotion. Clare led her community with remarkable spirituality and gentleness for forty-two years, rarely leaving the convent yet becoming an influential spiritual leader. During a Saracen siege of Assisi, she reportedly processed with the Blessed Sacrament, miraculously halting the attackers. Her letters to Agnes of Prague reveal profound mystical spirituality. Clare was canonized in 1255, and her contemplative example inspired religious reform movements throughout the Catholic Church. She died August 11, 1253, and remains the patroness of those seeking spiritual clarity and intimate union with Christ.