Meaning Latin "Frenchman" (Franciscus); given as a nickname to Saint Francis by his merchant father because of his French commercial ties.
Figure Multiple major saints: Francis of Assisi; Francis Xavier; Pope Francis.
Feast day October 4 (Francis of Assisi, Catholic and Anglican); December 3 (Francis Xavier, Catholic)
Traditions CATHOLICORTHODOXANGLICANPROTESTANT
In the Christian tradition
Multiple major saints carry the name Francis. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), founder of the Franciscan order, is one of the most-loved saints in all Christian tradition; the Catholic and Anglican calendars commemorate him on October 4. Francis Xavier (1506-1552), Jesuit missionary to Asia, is honored on December 3. Pope Francis (elected 2013) took his papal name in honor of Francis of Assisi, the first pope to do so.
Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) is the founder of the Friars Minor (the Franciscans), the great medieval saint of poverty, simplicity, and love of creation. His Canticle of the Sun, his stigmata, his preaching to the birds, his founding of the Christmas creche tradition, and his radical commitment to poverty have shaped Catholic spirituality across eight hundred years. The Catholic and Anglican calendars commemorate him on October 4; many parishes and dioceses observe a blessing of pets on or near his feast day. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) is the great Jesuit missionary to India, Japan, and beyond; the Catholic calendar honors him on December 3. The election of the Argentine Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio as Pope Francis in 2013 marked the first time a pope took the name in honor of Francis of Assisi. The name has been in continuous Christian use across the centuries; modern Catholic families use it freely. The feminine form (Frances in English; Francesca in Italian) is also widely used.