St. Clare

Saint Clare of Assisi

Virgin

Clare was born in Assisi to Count Favorino and Bl. Ortolana in the year of Our Lord 1194. Her parents intended that she should marry, but the devout girl was disillusioned with earthly finery, and sought out St. Francis of Assisi for advice. At the age of eighteen Clare secretly left her family and went to the Franciscans. Francis cut her hair himself and gave her a sackcloth habit to replace her rich garb, and Clare temporarily joined a Benedictine convent. Her family attempted to bring her back home, but she refused, and was later joined by her sister St. Agnes of Assisi. The two sisters soon began a new branch of the Franciscans called the Order of St. Clare, originally known as the Order of Poor Ladies and commonly called the “Poor Clares”. Several popes attempted to mitigate the strict poverty requirements of the Rule of the Poor Clares, but Clare persevered in following the example of their Franciscan brothers. Clare served as the abbess until her death in the year of Our Lord 1253. She had twice saved Assisi from hostile armies through her prayers, and the people of the city immediately began to build a church in her honor, completed not long after she was canonized just two years after her death.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for August 12th

AT Assisi, in Umbria, St. Clare, virgin, the first of the poor women of the Order of Minorites. Being celebrated for holiness of life and miracles, she was placed among holy virgins by Alexander IV.

At Catania, in Sicily, the birthday of St. Euplius, deacon, under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. He was a long time tortured for the confession of the Lord, and finally obtained the palm of martyrdom by being put to the sword.

At Augsburg, St. Hilaria, mother of the blessed martyr Afra. Because she watched at the sepulchre of her daughter, she was cast into the fire for the faith of Christ, together with her maid-servants Digna, Euprepia, and Eunomia. On the same day there suffered also in that city Quiriacus, Largius, Crescentian, Nimmia, and Juliana, with twenty others.

In Syria, the holy martyrs Macarius and Julian.

At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs, the count Anicetus and his brother Photinus, with many others, under the emperor Diocletian.

At Faleria, in Tuscany, the Saints Gracilian, and Felicissima, virgin, who, for the confession of the faith, had their mouths bruised with stones, and being afterwards struck with the sword, received the palm of martyrdom.

The same day, the holy martyrs Porcarius, abbot of the monastery of Lerins, and five hundred monks, who were slain for the Catholic faith by barbarians, and were thus crowned with martyrdom.

At Milan, the demise of St. Eusebius, bishop and confessor.

At Brescia, St. Herculanus, bishop.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.