Bernard of Quintavalle (died 1241) was the first disciple of

St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

. Bernard was declared as the ''Minorum Ordinis prima plantula,'' the "First fruits of the Minor Orders". He accompanied Francis on a number of missionary journeys and served as Minister Provincial in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Life

Bernard, son of Quintavalle, son of Berardello, was a well-to-do young noble from Assisi. He received his JUD at the

Bologna University The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...

."The First Follower", The Assisi Project
/ref> His family's house still stands in Assisi to this day. Bernard received his evangelical calling in the spring of 1208, when he and Francis had recourse to the

Sortes Sanctorum ''Sortes Sanctorum'' (incipit ''Post solem surgunt stellae'') is a late antique text that was used for divination by means of dice. The oldest version of the text may have been pagan, but the earliest surviving example—a 4th- or 5th-century Gre ...

in the church of San Nicolò. After hearing Mass, and praying until

terce Terce is a canonical hour of the Divine Office. It consists mainly of psalms and is held around 9 a.m. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the third hour of the day after dawn. With Sext, None and Compline it belongs to the so-called "Litt ...

...the priest, at the request of St. Francis, took the missal, and having made the sign of the most holy cross, opened it three times in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the first opening, they found that saying which Christ spake in the Gospel to the young man which inquired the way of perfection: 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor and follow Me'. At the second opening, they found that saying which Christ spake to the Apostles, when He sent them forth to preach: 'Take nothing for your journey, neither staff, nor scrip, nor shoes, nor money'; intending thereby to teach them that they ought to set all their hope of living upon God, and to turn all their thoughts to preaching the Holy Gospel. At the third opening of the missal they found that saying which Christ spake: 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me'.''The Little Flowers of St. Francis'', Chapter II, (tr. by W. Heywood), 1906
/ref>

Bernard sold all that he had and went to the Square of St. George, where assisted by Francis, he gave everything to widows, to orphans, to prisoners, to monasteries, to hospitals and to pilgrims. In 1211, Francis tasked Bernard with preaching to the worldly and wealthy residents of

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...

. Upon first entering Bologna, because of his appearance, he was mocked and abused as a thief or deserter; but after showing Francis' Rule to the local magistrate, the people's attitude changed. Bernard subsequently asked Francis to send someone to replace him at Bologna lest he be tempted to pride due to the honor and respect shown to him. Francis then sent Bernard to Lombardy. He was then sent to Florence. After the family of St Clare tried to forcibly remove her from the Benedictine convent of San Paulo near

Bastia Bastia (, , , ; co, Bastìa ) is a commune in the department of Haute-Corse, Corsica, France. It is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It also has the second-highest population of any commune on the is ...

, Bernard accompanied her the Benedictine nuns of the convent of . In 1213, he accompanied Francis on a missionary journey through Spain, but Francis directed Bernard to remain behind at one point to tend to a poor invalid. When they met again a year later, the sick man had recovered, and Francis and Bernard continued through Aragon and Catalonia, Roussillon to Montpellier, and through Piedmont back to his chapel at Santa Maria dei Angeli in Assisi. He subsequently became Minister Provincial in Spain until 1219, when he was succeeded by John Parenti. Together with

Angelo Tancredi The blessed Angelo Tancredi (died 1258) was a Roman Catholic monastic leader, one of the 12 early companions of Saint Francis of Assisi. He was born in Rieti Rieti (; lat, Reate, Sabino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Lazio, central Italy, with ...

, and

Leo of Assisi Brother Leo (died c. 1270) was the favorite disciple, secretary and confessor of St Francis of Assisi. The dates of his birth and of his becoming a Franciscan are not known; a native of Assisi, he was one of the small group of most trusted compa ...

, Bernard remained close to Francis, especially during the last two years of Francis' life. St Francis imparted a special blessing to him,Ellsberg, Robert. ''The Franciscan Saints''
/ref> although

Thomas of Celano Thomas of Celano ( it, Tommaso da Celano, italic=no; c. 1185 – c. 1265) was an Italian friar of the Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor) as well as a poet and the author of three hagiographies about Francis of Assisi. Life Thomas was born some ...

reserves this blessing for Elias. After the death of Francis, Bernard had occasion to take to task the Vicar General Elias for riding in a large horse-drawn coach, which to Bernard was not in accord with the Rule.

Arnald of Sarrant Arnald of Sarrant (french: Arnaud de Sarrant) was a Franciscan friar and author. A native of Sarrant and a master of theology, he served as the minister provincial of Aquitaine from around 1361 until 1383. On 19 August 1373, Pope Gregory XI sent h ...

. ''

Chronicle of the Twenty-Four Generals of the Order of Friars Minor The ''Chronicle of the Twenty-Four Generals of the Order of Friars Minor'' ( la, Chronica XXIV Generalium Ordinis Fratrum Minorum) is a medieval chronicle written in Latin around 1370, possibly by the Franciscan friar Arnaud de Sarrant, though R ...

'', (Noel Muscat ofm, trans.) Ordo Fratrum Minorum. Malta, 2010 Bernard died around 1241 and is buried close to the tomb of St Francis in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard of Quintavalle 1241 deaths Italian Franciscans History of Catholic religious orders History of Catholicism in Italy Year of birth unknown