Zakon Braci Mniejszych w chwili śmierci św. Franciszka
The Order of Friars Minor at the Moment of the Death of St. Francis

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the evolution of the Franciscan order which took place in the years 1223–1228, i.e., in the period from the final approval of the Franciscan Rule to the canonization of Francis. This period is poorly described in the oldest Franciscan sources, but we believe that it is wrong to conclude that the generation of Friars Minor, contemporaries of Francis, wanted to hide something in the history of the Order, in particular the process of departing from the original Franciscan ideals and moving towards the clericalization of Friars Minor. Neither Francis nor his early companions cared about any documentation. The article is divided into four parts: 1) From com- munity to order; 2) Territorial expansion; 3) Rule; 4) Voltages. Francis did not think about the order, but about the community, and he gave this form to the first generation of friars. As long as Francis lived, he mitigated them by his own example. After his death, the Holy See had to intervene, making an authentic interpretation of the rule.

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