Which saint founded the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)?

Which saint founded the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)? Francis of Assisi. Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in Assisi, Italy, Francis abandoned a prosperous merchant’s life after a religious conversion and embraced poverty, preaching, service, and humility. Followers gathered around him, forming the brotherhood that became the Franciscans.

In 1209, Francis took a simple rule for his companions to Rome, where Pope Innocent III gave the group informal approval. The brothers called themselves the Friars Minor, meaning “Lesser Brothers,” reflecting Francis’s rejection of status and wealth. They traveled on foot, preached among ordinary people, and relied on voluntary charity rather than owning substantial property.

The movement expanded rapidly. Clare of Assisi founded the women’s branch, later known as the Poor Clares, while a third order allowed laypeople to follow Franciscan spirituality. The papal approval, the Rule of Saint Francis, and later organizational divisions shaped the several Franciscan orders known today. Francis was canonized in 1228, only two years after his death.