St. Clare of Asissi

St. Clare was born at Assisi, 16 July 1194 to Favorino Scifi, Count of Sasso-Rossoa, whose family had long lived in the area, and to Ortolana, from Fiumi.  At the age of eighteen, in 1212 Clare heard St. Francis preach for the first time.  Soon after she fled her ancestral home with her aunt and joined the Franciscans.  Since the order did not yet have formal provision for female followers, St. Francis first placed Clare in the Benedictine religious house of San Paolo, near Bastia, and later to the more seclude Benedictine house Sant' Angelo in Panzo. As more women joined Clare, it became clear that a Second Order of  Franciscans was needed. St. Francis founded with Clare the Poor Clares, or Minoressess, and the abbey of San Damiano, outside Assisi, and Clare became the first abbess. Clare died 11 August 1253. Her canonization followed two years later in 1255.