I am a fan of St. Francis of Assisi says The Dalai Lama

16 March, 2013

Praising the new pope's choice of name as Pope Francis, His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, said that he was a fan of St. Francis of Assisi, and was moved by the elected pope's choice of name for papacy.

The Dalai Lama stated that he found St. Francis of Assisi's discipline, simple way of life and his love for all creatures inspiring. Congratulating the newly elected Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama said he was looking forward to meet the new Pope soon. The Dalai Lama has met with three predecessors of Pope Francis.

Francis of Assisi (1181–1226) was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. Before turning religious, he lived the high-spirited wealthy life and fought as a soldier for Assisi. During war of 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, he joined the poor in begging at St. Peter's Basilica and decided to live in poverty.

Thereafter, Francis returned home to preach and soon had a good following and founded the Order of Poor Clares that was authorized by Pope Innocent III. On July 16, 1228, he was pronounced a saint by Pope Gregory IX. Pope John Paul II once had said, "It is my hope that the inspiration of Saint Francis will help us to keep ever alive a sense of 'fraternity' with all those good and beautiful things which Almighty God has created."

According to Leonard Foley: "Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a mite of self-importance."