A Brief History of the
Third Order of St. Francis
When Francis founded his Order of Penance for people living in the world in the early 13th century, the idea was not original with him. There were other movements of a like nature before that. However, he did start the Order of Penance, or Third Order of St. Francis as it came to be known, in 1209.
In that year, after St. Francis received the oral approval of Pope Innocent III for his “Lesser Brothers,” he went about preaching the Kingdom of God. He amazed people with his zeal. With astonishment they listened to him. “Isn’t he that playboy of Assisi, son of Peter Bernadone?” they asked. Doesn’t that remind us of Jesus when the people asked in amazement, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph, the carpenter and of Mary? Many were drawn to Francis by his magnetic sincerity and love of God.
Thomas of Celano said Francis “mapped out for them a way of salvation in their various stations of life.”
In 1221 Pope Honorius III ordered the Bishop of Rimini to take the Brothers of Penance at Faenza under his protection. They were being pushed around by civil authorities because they were refusing to take the oath of military service, saying it was forbidden under their rule. The mayor had been trying to force them to take the oath which would have obliged them to take up arms whenever the whims of the authorities ordered it.
Also, in the same year 1221, Cardinal Ugolino took the original short rule of 1209 and put it in legal writing, and Pope Honorius III approved it.
Most authors have regarded St. Francis’ “Letter to All the Faithful” as the most original form of the rule of the Third Order. This letter is produced in full in the “St. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents.”
The rule just mentioned of Cardinal Ugolino (later to become Pope Gregory IX) contains some regulations with which we are very familiar and which affect us now.
1. Attendance at monthly meetings.
2. A list of officers a fraternity should have.
3. External means of attaining holiness, such as poverty and simplicity of living.
4. Internal means of attaining holiness: prayer; Sacraments of penance and Holy Communion; nightly examination of conscience and hearing the word of God.
5. They had an office — the Divine Office if they could read (which few of them could) or 54 Paters, Aves and Glorias for those who could not read.
6. Prayer for the living and deceased members.
7. Special charities (Apostolates).
8. Provide a common fund for the needs of the fraternity and others who are in need.
They were not allowed to take oaths and so could not hold public office. And they were to observe strict rules of fasting. These latter two rules have been greatly modified.
In 1289 Cardinal Ugolino’s rule was supplanted by that of Nicholas IV. This new rule gave to all fraternities a uniform charter. It changed the rule about bearing arms to allow it for defense of the Church, the Faith of Christ, and one’s country.
Among the first secular Franciscans were Blessed Luchesio Modestini of Poggibonzi and his wife, Buonadonna.
Factually, Francis did not give a rule to Luchesio and Buonadonna until 1218. The Third Order had been in existence for 9 years at that time.
Some other known “firsts” are: A lawyer, Bartholomew of Romagna and the Roman patrician, Matthew Orsini, father of Pope Nicholas III.
Well known to us from our readings is Count Orlando of Cattanii, who had given Francis the beautiful mountain of La Verna where he received the stigmata and Blessed John Velita whom we know as the “Holy John.” Thomas of Celano mentions John as the one whom Francis sent for to set up the first manger scene at Greccio.
And, not to be outshone by the men, there are renowned female secular Franciscans: The Lady Giacoma of Settesoli, a Roman lady of noble birth whom Francis called Brother Jacopa and Blessed Veridiana. Veridiana became a recluse in 1208 at the age of 26 and had herself walled up in a cell next to a chapel in Florence and spent the remaining 34 years of her life there in prayer and penance. In 1222 St. Francis visited her and gave her the habit. There is also Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, who became the patroness of the Third Order and her kinswoman, Queen Elizabeth of Portugal.
Pope Leo XIII, when he was Archbishop of Perugia in 1871, and on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Pius IX as a secular, wrote a pastoral letter on the Third Order. The following year he, himself, joined the Third Order in the Franciscan Friary of Honte Ripido near Perugia.
During the centuries following Nicholas IV’s rule many changes had taken place by papal decree. Pope Leo, in 1883, revised the old rule of Nicholas IV, adapting it to his times and conditions but kept its nature, character, and spirit intact.
The long habit had been changed to a large scapular and cord, which was worn on the outside. Later this became a small scapular and cord, which were worn on the inside.
Pope Leo XIII pointed out that the rigorous rule of Nicholas IV was not suited to modern times and customs, which limited the Third Order to a small number of people.
Hence, he modernized the rule and opened the Third Order to all good Catholics who were earnest about striving for Christian perfection. The first two Orders, he said, are for those favored by God with the grace of a rare zeal, while the Third Order was to accommodate many.
The rule was again revised to suit the late twentieth century needs, but again the nature and spirit have been kept intact.
This present Rule for the Secular Franciscan Order was approved by Pope Paul VI, June 24, 1978. It is known as the Pauline Rule.
At least 53 members of the Third Order of St. Francis have been canonized and [about] 76 have been beatified.
