First published in 1894, with the first English-language edition appearing in 1906, this was the first modern biography of Saint Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century Roman Catholic monk and founder of the Order of Friars Minor, known as the Franciscans. A bestseller in its time, and ultimately translated into 55 languages, this lovely work?by French clergyman, historian, and theologian PAUL SABATIER (1858?1928)?tells the story of the monk?s life in clear, sympathetic language, from his youth and conversion to his suffering of stigmata in later years, with a special emphasis on his kind heart and the love of nature and animals that has made him beloved to Christians. Readers of history, biography, and religious literature will enjoy this lovely book.