St. Clare of Assisi: Feast day honors founder of the Poor Clares

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Clare of Assisi on August 11, honoring the 13th-century founder of the Poor Clares and close companion of St. Francis of Assisi.

Born into a wealthy noble family in Assisi, Italy, Clare renounced her status and riches at age 18 to pursue a life of radical poverty and devotion. She established a community at the Church of San Damiano, serving as abbess for over 40 years. Her legacy is defined by her commitment to simplicity, prayer, and the spiritual principles of the Franciscan movement.

Historically, Clare is noted for her courage, including a reported instance in 1240 where she protected the monastery and the city of Assisi from an attack by showing the Blessed Sacrament. In 1958, Pope Pius XII named her the patron saint of television and telecommunications.