‘It is only through the poor we can offer anything to God, who also has ned of the poor in order to ask anything of us.’ -St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi referred to poverty as “Lady Poverty.”
The son of a prosperous merchant, Francis had traded his wealth for a life of poverty so that he could better serve the Lord. In describing his ministry to be one with the poor, he used the imagery of a suitor’s pursuit of the woman with whom he wished to spend the rest of his life in marriage.
For Francis, that woman was Lady Poverty.
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The image of Francis and lady Poverty caught the imagination of many artists. One of the best known artistic renditions was created by Giotto di Bondone. He painted the marriage of St. Francis and Lady Poverty for the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy.