Holding a ciborium with consecrated hosts in her virginal hands, St. Clare drove away the Muslims who were attacking the monastery of which she was Abbess.
Newsdesk (12/08/2023 10:18, Gaudium Press) Coming from a noble family of great wealth, Clare was born in Assisi, in the centre of Italy, in 1194. Her father was a count and a knight.
Shortly before her birth, her mother implored God’s help and heard a voice saying: “Do not be afraid! You will give the world a light that will illuminate it. That is why you will call the girl Clare.”[1]
A young woman of great beauty, she consecrated her virginity to the Divine Redeemer. At the age of 16, she attended a homily by St. Francis of Assisi and was so enthralled that she decided to become his disciple.
One night, when she came of age, she sneaked out of her father’s house and, accompanied by a relative, made her way to St. Mary of the Angels Church. St Francis and some friars went to meet them with torches in their hands and brought them into the Marian sanctuary.
The saint cut her hair, gave her the habit, the veil and the cord. After taking the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty, she took up residence in a nearby convent for women.
Her father became enraged and, accompanied by some family members, he went to the convent to force her to return to her home. But when Clare removed the veil that covered her head everyone saw that her hair had been shaved and, furious, he left.
Commenting on this episode, Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira said:
“I emphasize the need to measure the genuine value of holy and Catholic things, such as the scene described above, in order to confront the profound decadence in which the world is immersing itself, [which is] becoming indifferent to these marvels.” [2]
A sister, niece and her own mother receive the habit
Her father’s anger increased when he learned that his other daughter, Agnes, who was due to be married, had also moved to the convent.
He sent twelve armed men, led by Agnes’ uncle, to bring her back. They invaded the religious house, but she reacted firmly. She was then dragged out by her hair and beaten. The young woman screamed for help from Clare, who prayed, imploring Our Lord’s intervention.
Suddenly, the girl’s body became so heavy that the twelve strong men were unable to drag her. Furious, her uncle tried to strike her in the face with his iron gloves, but his arm remained paralysed in the air.
Clare then picked up her sister – who had now become as light as a feather – all bruised and took her back to the convent. Confused, her attackers withdrew.
The enemies’ plots were to no avail, as both became exemplary nuns and achieved the honour of the altars.
Many other young women from the nobility of Assisi wanted to embrace a religious vocation, and St. Francis founded a monastery for them, of which Clare became Abbess.
One day, her niece Amata came to visit her. She received such grace from God that she decided to become a nun in that convent. She lived a life of perfection and was beatified by the Church.
Even her mother, after having become a widow, received the habit and became obedient to her daughter.
Scene of extraordinary beauty
At the time, the Holy Roman Empire was ruled by Frederick II, grandson of Frederick Barbarossa. A wicked man, he had made agreements with the Mohammedans, admitting a troop of these pagans into his army and keeping a harem. A persecutor of the popes, he was excommunicated several times.
Dr Plinio wrote about Frederick II:
He “communicated to Italy the infection of Muslim customs, flooded it with ungodly books. His chancelleries harboured scribes who knew how to flatter every passion, poison every truth. He made them slander those he wished to put to death. He allied himself with all the wicked; he dulled, deceived or intimidated the faithful.”[3]
On one occasion, his Muslim soldiers tried to invade the monastery of St. Clare. The heroic abbess, holding a ciborium with consecrated hosts in her virginal hands, advanced against the enemies who, terrified, fled.
It’s “another scene of extraordinary beauty: this virgin consecrated to God who doesn’t back down in the face of the invader and confronts him. (…) Before her, a living ostensory, carrying the Blessed Sacrament in her hands, the aggressors retreat and flee.”[4]
St. Agnes of Prague and Blessed Isabelle of France
Among the noblewomen who became disciples of St. Clare was Agnes, daughter of the King of Bohemia – today’s Czech Republic – who was born in the capital Prague in 1205 and who wanted to become a nun from a young age.
Some attempts to have her married were unsuccessful. However, when she reached the age of 28, Emperor Frederick II, who had become a widower, wanted to marry her.
Agnes begged Pope Gregory IX to intervene in order to prevent this marriage, as she wanted to be a Poor Clare, that is, a disciple of St. Clare. Informed of Agnes’ wish, the Emperor agreed to cancel the intended nuptials.
With the help of her brother, who had become King of Bohemia, she built two monasteries, one for the Franciscans, the other for the Poor Clares, and a hospital. On Agnes’ recommendation, the management of the latter was entrusted to a military order that was later named the Canons Regular of the Most Holy Cross of the Red Star.
And of the women’s convent, by order of Pope Gregory IX, she was appointed abbess, a position she held for 40 years until her death in 1282.
Although she didn’t meet St. Clare personally, Agnes received a letter from the Foundress of the Poor Clares, which began: “To her who is half of my soul and the singular object of my affection”[5].
When St. Clare became seriously ill, Pope Innocent IV visited her and approved the Rule she had written. Shortly afterwards, the Foundress of the Poor Clares gave her soul to God. It was August 11th, 1253. Two years later, she received the glory of the altars.
Agnes of Prague died in 1282 and was canonised by John Paul II.
There was another very noble lady who became a Poor Clare at this time: Isabelle of France, sister of King St. Louis IX. She founded a convent in the Bois de Boulogne, near Paris, where St. Bonaventure sometimes visited to give direction to the nuns.
She died in 1270 and was beatified by Leo X in the 16th century.
By Paulo Francisco Martos
From: Noções de História da Igreja
[1] ROHRBACHER, René-François. Vida dos Santos. São Paulo: Editora das Américas. 1959, v. 14, p. 346.
[2] CORRÊA DE OLIVEIRA, Plinio. Santa Clara de Assis, modelo de consagração a Deus. In Dr. Plinio. Ano X, n. 113 (agosto 2007), p. 26.
[3] Idem. O Legionário. São Paulo, 4-6-1944.
[4] Idem. Santa Clara de Assis, modelo de consagração a Deus. In Dr. Plinio. Ano X, n. 113 (agosto 2007), p. 28.
[5] SANTA CLARA DE ASSIS. In Fontes Franciscanas. 2.ed. Braga: Editorial Franciscana, 1996, v. II, p.107.
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Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
