Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did St. Francis of Assisi turn back while traveling to join papal forces in Apulia?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis and Scenes from His Life, tempera on panel by Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1235; in the Church of San Francesco, Pescia, Italy.
While traveling to join the papal forces in Apulia in late 1205, St. Francis of Assisi turned back because he experienced a vision or dream that instructed him to return to Assisi and await a call to a new kind of knighthood.1
Upon his return, he dedicated himself to solitude and prayer to discern God's will for his life, which eventually led him to renounce his worldly goods and embrace a life of poverty and apostolic service.1