ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI ; FEAST DAY 4th OCTOBER

 ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

4th OCTOBER


St Francis of Assisi, (1182-1226), is a much-beloved saint, renowned for his patronage and protection of animals – brothers and sisters- and, for this reason a blessing of the animals is frequently held by the Franciscans in the days before or following his Feast Day.
We are all familiar with the legend of the vision St Francis had where God directed him to “repair my house which, as you can see is falling into ruin” and which Francis initially took literally, only later realizing that the calling was to rebuild the Church in its spiritual dimension.
Francis turned his energies, previously employed in womanizing, spending money and partying, to a conversion of heart, which so overtook him that his friends chided him, asking him if he was thinking of marrying. He replied, “Yes, a bride fairer than any of you have ever seen”. His bride was “Lady Poverty” and, to the chagrin of his father, he established the Franciscans as a mendicant order (after being beaten by his father and locked in a room – then disinherited). The Franciscans were joined by St Clare of Assisi in their vocation, St Clare establishing the Poor Clares as their sister order.
The following story, of St Francis and his dear friend, 'Brother Jacopa', is (substantially), from Catholic Culture*:
In 1212 St Francis developed a friendship with a young woman of Roman nobility, Jacopa de Settesoli, the widow of the knight Gratiano Frangipani. The name Frangipani had been given to the family because an ancestor had saved the Romans from famine by giving them bread: “Frangens panem.”
Jacopa was a very devout woman and extremely generous. She became a close friend of St Francis, who called her “Brother Jacopa”, serving him Frangipane – made of almonds and sugar, for which St Francis expressed the only recorded cooking compliment by a saint.
Because Jacopa was such a close friend, St Francis gave her a pet lamb which he had cherished and which had always accompanied him, in honour, said St Bonaventura, of Our Lord, the gentle Lamb of God.
The lamb adopted its new mistress and would follow her, lie down near her when she prayed and return home with her. If Lady Jacopa overslept in the morning the lamb would waken her and bleat until she woke to say her devotions.
When he lay dying, St Francis thought of Brother Jacopa. “She would be too sad”, he said to Brother Bernard, “To learn that I had quitted the world without warning her”. He dictated a letter telling her that the end of his life was near, that she was to set out as quickly as possible for Assisi to see him once more, and that she was to bring him a piece of haircloth and a shroud for his body and whatever else was necessary for his burial. “Bring me also” he ended, “I beg thee, some of those good things thou gavest me to eat in Rome when I was ill.”
But the letter was still unsent when the noise of horses was heard. Jacopa entered with her two sons and her servants, having been inspired to set out to Assisi from Rome. When one of the brothers told Francis he had good news, before he could say more, Francis spoke: “God be praised! Let the door be opened for the rule forbidding women to enter her is not for Brother Jacopa.”
She had brought everything he needed-the veil for his face, the cushion for his head, the hair cloth, the wax for the watching and funeral ceremonies. And she had brought the sweets he loved. He gave the sweet to Brother Bernard as he was unable to eat.
The sweet, called “Frangipane”, (after Brother Jacopa), is a sweet filling for cakes, most notably, the Gallette des Rois - the Epiphany cake. As a celebration of the feast day of St Francis, the frangipane can be made into a tart with fruit, (see, for example, a web-page called, Laws of Baking, at http://lawsofbaking.com/rhubarbtart/).
I have taken the recipe for Frangipane from Laws of Baking,* as set out below:
1 cup almond flour
57 g butter, softened
100 grams sugar
2 eggs
30 grams flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Beat softened butter and sugar on medium for a few minutes. Add the almond flour and beat for a couple minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time on medium-low speed, beating well after each is added. Add the 3 tablespoons flour and salt and beat on low speed until incorporated, approximately 1 minute.
The Frangipane is now ready to be used as a filling for a tart or in a pastry.




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