At the source of the inspiration for St. Francis, and all Franciscans, is the Romanesque Cross from Assisi, Italy. St. Francis is said to have found, in disrepair, a small chapel in which he prayed before this cross, which dated from 1100. At some point, Christ spoke to him to ask Francis to rebuild His church, which was in ruin. Francis understood him to mean this chapel, but learned he meant the entire Catholic church. This inspired this rendition of the famous cross.
