Mendicants and Militants

Franciscan Friars

Francis was a rich young man from the town of Assissi in Italy. He was fun-loving and brave, always ready to break into song or to indulge in a good feast. He had every expectation of becoming a knight in the Papal army.

However, while he was on his way to join the Papal army he had a dream in which God called him to a very different kind of life. He went back to Assissi and, for the first time, really began to notice the poor. On one occasion he changed clothes with a beggar to find out what it was like to be really poor.

Eventually he left all behind to found an order of poor preachers who dressed in rough peasants' clothes, tied at the waist with rope. The order was sanctioned by Rome as the Franciscan Order.

The Franciscans did not aspire to priesthood but called all people brother or sister. They were called "friars" which is a corruption of the latin word for brothers.

The Franciscan Friars were a missionary order who gained respect wherever they went. Francis, himself, apparently went to the Holy Land and was allowed to cross enemy lines to preach the Gospel to the Sultan who, although he was not converted, treated Francis with great respect and sent him back safely.

The men of this order were soon followed by a women's movement led by a Lady Clare. Her nuns became known as the "Poor Clares". There was also a "Third Order" of Franciscans - those who for one reason or another could not live according to the strict rules of the other orders but followed them as closely as they could.

In many ways, the Franciscans, by calling many back to the simple Gospel, were responsible for a revival of Christianity dedicated to the simplicity of Jesus' Gospel.

The Dominicans

Dominic was a Spanish nobleman who founded the Dominican Order in 1215. Like Francis, he commanded a simple life-style, although most of his followers were from a higher rank of life than those of Francis. They were also, on the whole, better educated.

Like the Franciscans, the Dominicans were a "Free" order, that is, they did not live in a monastery but went about from place to place preaching the Gospel.

Unfortunately, because of their education and powers of persuasion, the Pope placed the Inquisition in the hands of the Dominicans.

The Military Orders

One of the results of the Crusades was the founding, beginning in Jerusalem, of the Military Orders. The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem were founded in 1048, the Knights Templars in 1119 and the Teutonic Knights in 1121.

The original purpose of these orders was to provide care and protection for pilgrims. They set up hospitals to provide hospitality and care for the sick.

Unfortunately, all too often, they became involved in the Crusades and became militant soldiers whose main aim became to fight the Saracens. They also became very wealthy orders.

The Templars were, at some point, accused of Heresy and the order was suppressed in 1312. It is now generally accepted that the Templars were innocent of the charges.

The Teutonic Knights became very powerful until the late 14th century when the order declined. It did, however, survive and from about 1840 it returned to its original vision and devoted itself to hospital work - especially in military hospitals.

The Order of St John of Jerusalem is still influential in that it was the ancester of the International St. John's Ambulance Brigade whose presence may be found at sporting events, music festivals and wherever crowds gather. Their work in teaching first aid to youngsters is a very valuable part of modern society.