St. Francis of Assisi and Orthodox Christianity: Recognizing Holiness Beyond Ecclesiastical Boundaries
An Orthodox Franciscan Reflection on Sanctity, Humility, and Christian Unity
Franciscan Friars of the Forsaken (OFMO)
Introduction
As Orthodox Christians and Franciscan Friars, we are sometimes confronted with an interesting question: Why does an Orthodox religious community embrace St. Francis of Assisi, a saint traditionally associated with the Roman Catholic Church?
The answer rests upon our understanding of Christian holiness, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual virtues that unite Christians across ecclesiastical traditions.
We recognize that the Eastern Orthodox Church generally does not formally commemorate saints canonized by the Roman Catholic Church following the separation between East and West. We also recognize that legitimate theological, historical, and canonical considerations underlie this practice.
Nevertheless, we believe that the life and example of St. Francis of Assisi offer profound spiritual lessons that transcend ecclesiastical boundaries.
Our devotion to the Franciscan way of life does not represent a rejection of our Orthodox Christian faith. Rather, it reflects our conviction that the virtues exemplified by Francis are deeply rooted in the Gospel and are equally present within the Orthodox spiritual tradition.
The Holiness of St. Francis
St. Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) surrendered worldly wealth and privilege to embrace a life of poverty, prayer, obedience, chastity, humility, and service to others.
His ministry was particularly directed toward the poor, the sick, the forgotten, and those whom society had abandoned.
Francis sought neither worldly recognition nor personal wealth. His desire was to follow Jesus Christ as faithfully and completely as possible.
These spiritual characteristics are hardly foreign to Orthodox Christianity.
Indeed, the Orthodox Church has produced countless saints whose lives reflect remarkably similar commitments.
St. Anthony the Great abandoned worldly possessions to pursue a life of prayer and asceticism.
St. Seraphim of Sarov emphasized humility, repentance, prayer, and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
St. Herman of Alaska devoted himself to prayer, simplicity, and the protection of vulnerable people.
Although these holy men lived in different times and circumstances, their spiritual aspirations reveal a common foundation: the desire to surrender themselves entirely to God.
We therefore ask a simple question:
If poverty, humility, charity, repentance, and sacrificial love are recognized as marks of holiness within Orthodox Christianity, should those same virtues be disregarded when they appear in the life of a Christian outside its visible communion?
We believe the answer deserves thoughtful and prayerful consideration.
Ecclesiastical Recognition and the Grace of God
The Orthodox Church has established traditions and procedures for recognizing and commemorating saints.
These practices serve important purposes in preserving the theological and spiritual integrity of the Church.
However, a distinction must be maintained between the Church’s formal recognition of a saint and the action of God’s grace in an individual’s life.
The Church does not create holiness through canonization.
Rather, canonization represents the Church’s recognition and public affirmation of a holiness believed to have already been manifested through God’s grace.
Consequently, the absence of formal ecclesiastical recognition does not, by itself, establish that an individual was without holiness or beyond God’s mercy.
We must remain mindful that the final judgment of every human soul belongs to God alone.
The Danger of Spiritual Pride
Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly warned against spiritual pride, self-righteousness, and the temptation to judge others.
In the Gospel according to St. Mark, the Apostle John reported that the disciples had encountered a man casting out demons in the name of Jesus and attempted to prevent him because he was not among their immediate followers.
Christ responded:
“Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me.”
— Mark 9:39 (KJV)
This passage does not eliminate theological differences or render ecclesiastical communion unimportant.
It does, however, remind Christians to exercise humility when considering the work of God beyond their familiar communities.
We believe there is an important difference between faithfully maintaining the traditions of one’s Church and dismissing the spiritual accomplishments of others solely because they belong to another Christian communion.
The former may be an expression of religious conviction.
The latter risks becoming an expression of spiritual pride.
Christian humility requires us to acknowledge that God’s wisdom and mercy are greater than our individual understanding.
Franciscan Spirituality and Orthodox Monasticism
The Franciscan tradition and Orthodox monasticism share numerous spiritual characteristics.
Both emphasize:
- Poverty and freedom from attachment to material possessions.
- Chastity, obedience, and spiritual discipline.
- Prayer, fasting, repentance, and contemplation.
- Humility and surrender to the will of God.
- Compassion toward the poor, sick, and marginalized.
- Communal life and the sharing of material resources.
- The imitation of Jesus Christ through sacrificial love.
These similarities do not mean that the two traditions are identical. Important theological, liturgical, and historical differences remain.
Nevertheless, their shared emphasis upon the transformation of the human person through prayer, repentance, and love provides meaningful common ground.
We see in the Franciscan vocation a practical expression of Christian asceticism that can be lived within an Orthodox spiritual framework.
Why Our Orthodox Order Embraces St. Francis
The Franciscan Friars of the Forsaken embrace St. Francis of Assisi as our spiritual patron and model of evangelical poverty, humility, and service.
Our Franciscan identity is not an attempt to abandon Orthodox Christianity or to minimize the theological distinctions between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.
Rather, we seek to follow the example of a Christian whose life was profoundly dedicated to Jesus Christ and the service of those most in need.
Our brothers strive to live according to the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, together with our community’s commitment to stability.
We share our resources in common, undertake honest labor to sustain our religious community, and seek opportunities to minister to the poor, the sick, the homebound, and the forgotten.
In these commitments, we find both Franciscan inspiration and a deep connection to the ancient traditions of Christian monasticism.
We do not claim that our community’s devotion to St. Francis constitutes formal recognition of him by the wider Eastern Orthodox Church.
Instead, it represents the spiritual conviction and devotional practice of our own Orthodox Franciscan community.
We believe that the Christian virtues embodied in his life deserve admiration, imitation, and prayerful reflection.
Holiness Belongs to God
Ultimately, holiness is not a possession of any individual, religious order, or ecclesiastical institution.
Holiness originates in God.
The Church is called to proclaim, preserve, and bear witness to that holiness through the lives of those transformed by divine grace.
Our Lord declared:
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
— Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
We believe that the fruits of a Christian life deserve serious consideration wherever they are found.
This does not require us to abandon doctrinal conviction or disregard the importance of the Church.
It does require us to approach others with humility, charity, and an awareness of the limitations of human judgment.
We should be cautious about declaring where God’s grace cannot operate.
Conclusion: An Orthodox Faith, a Franciscan Heart
The Franciscan Friars of the Forsaken remain committed to our Orthodox Christian faith while embracing the spiritual example of St. Francis of Assisi.
We do not believe that fidelity to Orthodoxy requires hostility toward the genuine Christian virtues found in other traditions.
Nor do we believe that admiration for St. Francis requires us to surrender our Orthodox theological identity.
Instead, we seek to live the Gospel through prayer, humility, communal poverty, honest labor, and service to those whom the world has forgotten.
We believe that Christian holiness should inspire humility rather than competition, charity rather than contempt, and faithful service rather than spiritual superiority.
We are Orthodox in faith, Franciscan in spirituality, and servants of Jesus Christ in all things.
May our lives bear witness not merely to the traditions we profess, but to the love of Christ we are called to embody.
Pax et Bonum — Peace and All Good.