Saint Francis of Assisi, 13th Century

The Franciscan Sources recount that

Upper Basilica of Saint Francis, Assisi

during a stay in Rome, the Saint had kept a little lamb with him, inspired by his tender devotion to Christ, the most beloved Lamb of God. When he was preparing to depart, he entrusted it to a noble Roman lady, Jacoba dei Sette Soli, that she might care for it in her household. The lamb, as though spiritually instructed by the Saint in divine matters, never left the noblewoman's side. When she walked to church, it accompanied her faithfully and returned with her. In the morning, if the lady delayed in rising, the lamb nudged her with its little horns and awakened her with persistent bleats, urging her by affectionate gestures to hasten to church. The lady loved and admired this lamb, a true disciple of Francis and almost a master of piety. […] One day, as Saint Francis was traveling toward Siena, he came upon a large flock grazing in the pastures.
According to his custom, he greeted them affectionately, whereupon the sheep stopped grazing, ran eagerly toward him, raised their heads, and gazed fixedly at him. They celebrated his presence with such joy that both friars and shepherds were astonished, as the lambs and rams leaped wonderfully around him. […] On another occasion, at Santa Maria degli Angeli in the Portiuncula, a sheep was presented to this holy man of God as a gift. He accepted it with gratitude because he cherished the natural innocence and simplicity that this creature displayed. The man of God admonished the little sheep to give praise to God and never disturb the friars in their prayer. The sheep, as though gifted with spiritual perception, put his instructions into practice with exquisite care.
Whenever it heard the friars chanting in choir, it would enter the church and, without needing any instruction, bend its knees and emit gentle bleats before the altar of the Virgin, Mother of the Lamb, as if eager to salute her. During Holy Mass, at the solemn moment of the elevation of the Sacred Host, like a devout worshiper, it would bow low with bent knees, as though rebuking irreverent men for their lack of devotion and inspiring the faithful to profound reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament.

Text and photographs: international exhibition «The Eucharistic Miracles of the World», by Saint Carlo Acutis. Original panel at miracolieucaristici.org.

Saint Francis of Assisi, 13th Century

People

The Franciscan Sources recount that

Upper Basilica of Saint Francis, Assisi

during a stay in Rome, the Saint had kept a little lamb with him, inspired by his tender devotion to Christ, the most beloved Lamb of God. When he was preparing to depart, he entrusted it to a noble Roman lady, Jacoba dei Sette Soli, that she might care for it in her household. The lamb, as though spiritually instructed by the Saint in divine matters, never left the noblewoman's side. When she walked to church, it accompanied her faithfully and returned with her. In the morning, if the lady delayed in rising, the lamb nudged her with its little horns and awakened her with persistent bleats, urging her by affectionate gestures to hasten to church. The lady loved and admired this lamb, a true disciple of Francis and almost a master of piety. […] One day, as Saint Francis was traveling toward Siena, he came upon a large flock grazing in the pastures.
According to his custom, he greeted them affectionately, whereupon the sheep stopped grazing, ran eagerly toward him, raised their heads, and gazed fixedly at him. They celebrated his presence with such joy that both friars and shepherds were astonished, as the lambs and rams leaped wonderfully around him. […] On another occasion, at Santa Maria degli Angeli in the Portiuncula, a sheep was presented to this holy man of God as a gift. He accepted it with gratitude because he cherished the natural innocence and simplicity that this creature displayed. The man of God admonished the little sheep to give praise to God and never disturb the friars in their prayer. The sheep, as though gifted with spiritual perception, put his instructions into practice with exquisite care.
Whenever it heard the friars chanting in choir, it would enter the church and, without needing any instruction, bend its knees and emit gentle bleats before the altar of the Virgin, Mother of the Lamb, as if eager to salute her. During Holy Mass, at the solemn moment of the elevation of the Sacred Host, like a devout worshiper, it would bow low with bent knees, as though rebuking irreverent men for their lack of devotion and inspiring the faithful to profound reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament.

Text and photographs: international exhibition «The Eucharistic Miracles of the World», by Saint Carlo Acutis. Original panel at miracolieucaristici.org.