St. Francis was born into a well-to-do family named Bernardone at Assisi, Italy.  In his early twenties after being a prisoner of war and having a serious illness, the old round of worldly pleasures no longer appealed to him.  He sold all his property, gave the money to the church and began to tend the sick and poor.  Then his father disinherited him, so he supported himself by repairing tumble-down chapels around Assisi.  Finally, throwing aside his stick, wallet and shoes, he lived in absolute poverty.  Soon he began to attract followers.  The begging brothers, in ragged gowns, barefoot and with no money, went out two by two to spread the gospel in France, Germany, Hungary, Spain and England.  He founded the Order of Franciscans.

For the rest of his life, “little brother Francis” as he called himself, continued his Christ-like labors.  St. Francis was also a poet, and wrote Canticle of the Sun.  Although he was never ordained, his impact on religious life was enormous.  At his death it is said that on his body was found the famous “stigmata.”  Two years later he was canonized by the Pope.  Twenty years after his death, his Order had grown so that 9,000 religious houses had been built.  The Franciscan friars at one time numbered more than 100,000.

This statue is believed to have been constructed in Mexico sometime between 1790 and 1840.  It is made of a square, wooden base with a pieced top.  The feet join the two front planks forming the sides; the back is a third vertical, carved plank.  The eyes are solid glass hemispheres.  Cloth is used extensively on the carved wood as a support for the gesso ground.