In The Message of St. Francis stunning images and details from this fresco cycle illuminate the defining moments of the great saint's life: from his worldly beginnings as a dashing scion of privileged society to his embrace of poverty, simplicity, and humility. Extracts from biographies, ancient and modern, and his own writings -- from canticles of praise to spare, incisive admonitions on the gifts of the spirit -- convey the heart of his beliefs.