Saint Francis cuts Saint Clares hair
On Palm Sunday, 1212, he left his parents' house in secret. She had already sold her dowry and given the money to the poor. In the small church of Saint Mary of the Angels, just below Assisi, she met Francis and some of his brothers. She changed the dress into a simple habit and removed her jewelry. Francis cut her hair and she made a vow of obedience to him.
At first I lived with a Benedictine community of nuns, doing simple, low-level tasks. Her family was horrified by her choice and sent armed men to bring her back. But they were not successful. When Clare's younger sister Agnes followed her just fifteen days later, the family made even more violent attempts to force her to return home. In fact, they were physically taking her away, but Clare prayed, and Catherine became so heavy that they could not lift her. Defeated, they returned home.
Francisco also received Catalina as a sister and gave her the name Ines. Clare and Agnes then moved to San Damiano, the church where Francis had heard the crucifix speak to him.
Here the first Poor Clares community was born. She grew rapidly, and in 1215, against her will, Clare became abbess. She held this position until her death in 1253. Two years after the church declared her saint.
An immense joy, the greatest he had ever felt, would remember how their first meeting took place, and that magical night. All gathered in that small church in Santa de los Ángeles; the fresh air of that spring night.
Francisco himself had cut her hair, then Clara had taken off her noble clothing and dressed in a peasant sackcloth.
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