The Friars minor Francis of Assisi

the pope approving statutes of order of franciscans, giotto, 1295–1300

in 1209 composed simple rule followers ( friars ), regula primitiva or primitive rule , came verses in bible. rule follow teachings of our lord jesus christ , walk in footsteps . led first eleven followers rome seek permission pope innocent iii found new religious order. upon entry rome, brothers encountered bishop guido of assisi, had in company giovanni di san paolo, cardinal bishop of sabina. cardinal, confessor of pope innocent iii, sympathetic francis , agreed represent francis pope. reluctantly, pope innocent agreed meet francis , brothers next day. after several days, pope agreed admit group informally, adding when god increased group in grace , number, return official admittance. group tonsured. important in part because recognized church authority , prevented following possible accusations of heresy, had happened waldensians decades earlier. though number of pope s counselors considered mode of life proposed francis unsafe , impracticable, following dream in saw francis holding basilica of st. john lateran (the cathedral of rome, home church of christendom), decided endorse francis order. occurred, according tradition, on april 16, 1210, , constituted official founding of franciscan order. group, lesser brothers (order of friars minor known franciscan order or seraphic order), centered in porziuncola , preached first in umbria, before expanding throughout italy. francis chose never ordained priest, although later ordained deacon.