St. Francis of Assisi: Not Just the Patron of Animals, but my "Sanctus Alter Christus"
By The Contemplative Bard
October 3, 2025

Tomorrow, October 4th, marks the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. He is recognized across many Christian traditions as a "man for all ages", a universal and ecumenical saint, not confined to Catholicism alone. Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, and Reformed churches admire him for his harmony with nature and all of G-d's creation (Brother Sun, Sister Moon), which has inspired interfaith ecological movements.

He is revered for his advocacy of simplicity, love for the poor, humility, and his emphasis on peace and unity among different faiths (Robson, 2012). He embraced universal love and service, mirroring Christ in his care for lepers whom, according to Franciscan tradition, he also healed. He was known to protect villages by taming wild animals and preventing them from attacking people.

From "Sanctus Alter Christus" to "Patronus Animalium"

His experience of divine union resonates not only within Christianity but also with mystics in non-Christian spiritual traditions. He crossed enemy lines and prayed with a Muslim Sultan during the Crusades. His practice of non-attachment to material wealth, commitment to non-violence (ahimsa), and compassion for all beings echoes the ideals of a Yogi, Jivan Mukta, or a liberated Buddha in Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

His oneness with nature and non-human beings finds kinship with Indigenous and Earth-based spiritualities.

Raised in the Catholic tradition, I've long cherished what I consider the greatest prayer next to the Lord's Prayer, is the Prayer of St. Francis (also called the Prayer for Peace). It distills the Beatitudes of Master Jesus and, in my experience, carries an energetic quality that can awaken one's chakras with Divine Love.

But as I grew older, I began to question why, in Catholic tradition, he was primarily "promoted" as the patron saint of animals despite his profound spiritual stature and near Christ-like existence. Btw, he was also a stigmatist, bearing the wounds of Christ during crucifixion, which is a mystical phenomenon shared by saints like St. Catherine of Siena and St. Padre Pio.

Let me be clear. I do not wish to demean animals. I consider them self-aware, non-human beings created by G-d and therefore sacred, though their intellectual wiring differs from ours. Their suffering under human cruelty in the pursuit of profit is heartbreaking and worthy of reverence. However, if sainthood is meant to offer models of Christian life for the faithful to emulate, then reducing St. Francis to "patron of animals" feels like a marginalization, an oversimplification, even an understatement of his greatness.

The Dangerous Holiness of St. Francis

In early Franciscan literature and in the writings of St. Bonaventure, and possibly within the inner circles of the Franciscan orders, St. Francis was referred to as "another Christ" or Alter Christus. He is the saint who reached the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship: mystical union with Christ. Theosis. Church Triumphant. Christ Consciousness. The evolutionary leap from Homo sapiens to Homo Deus! I can almost hear Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin exclaiming, "St. Francis is another omega point in humanity's Christogenesis!"

Is it possible that his gradual re-branding over the centuries as a gentle patron of animals or a mascot of ecological kindness was a deliberate form of "halo-branding"? A way to soften the dangerous image of holiness he embodied? After all, Christ himself was dangerous as he unsettled the religious authorities of his time.

Let's remember that St. Francis loved animals and nature, but he did not die for animals. He died to himself so that he could mirror Christ. He stripped himself of wealth, possessions, comfort, and reputation to disappear into the life of Christ. He diminished himself so that Christ could be magnified through him.

He was also a disruptor of Church hierarchy, and cannot be considered as a safe personality. He preached with fire against the Church's entanglement with power and called for a return to the simplicity of the Gospel.

The Taming of a Saint?

St. Francis can be seen as a non-conformist who challenged ecclesiastical authority and advocated for freedom from institutional power (Robson, 2012). Could it be that his radical message was too unsettling, too luminous, and thus had to be tamed, sanitized, and repackaged into something safe and palatable?

Sainthood 101

Let us briefly examine what sainthood means for liturgical Christians, so we can better understand the title "Saint" as used in the Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines a saint as someone who has died and now dwells in the Kingdom of Heaven, united more closely with Christ. These souls form part of the "Communion of Saints" and the "Church Triumphant" and they are those who have reached the end of the Christian journey (CCC 948; 956; 1475; 2683).

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), "All Christians are called to be saints. Saints are persons in heaven (officially canonized or not), who lived heroically virtuous lives, offered their life for others, or were martyred for the faith, and who are worthy of imitation" (USCCB, n.d.).

Beyond the Church: Comparative Views of Sainthood

To deepen our understanding, we must explore how comparative religion defines sainthood. This is not a New Age teaching, but an academic movement that studies the commonalities and differences among religious traditions (Hinnells, 2005).

In many mystical traditions, sainthood is understood as the peak of spiritual consciousness. A saint need not be dead or dwell in heaven; they may still be alive, embodying divine union.

        In Buddhism, saints are those who reach nirvana, liberation, or emptiness, such as Buddhas, Arhats, and Bodhisattvas.

       In Hinduism, they are those who attain Samadhi and achieve Jivan Mukti or freedom from the cycle of birth and death (Jivan Mukta, Mahatma, Rishi, Sadhu, Avatara, Sant).

       In Jewish mysticism, the saint journeys back to Ain Soph through the Tree of Life (Tzadik, Baal Shem).

       In Sufi Islam, sainthood is marked by Fana (annihilation of the self), Wusul (union with the Divine), and Baqa (returning to serve humanity).

       In Indigenous spirituality, the Shaman is one who has died and returned with spiritual enlightenment.

A Shared Goal: Union with the Divine

We begin to see that the Christian definition of sainthood shares a common thread with other traditions: union with the Divine. The key difference is that, in the Catholic Church, sainthood typically requires death and heavenly residence.

Take Mother Teresa of Calcutta, often called a "living saint" by the media, that is a term of endearment reflecting her extraordinary charity. She was officially canonized only after her death in 1997, with sainthood declared in 2016.

Who Decides Who's in Heaven?

Any thinking person might ask as to how does the Church know who among the dead truly dwell in heaven? The USCCB offers a subtle clue: saints are in heaven, "officially canonized or not."

This raises uncomfortable questions. It implies that some souls may be in heaven but remain unrecognized as saints. Meanwhile, others undergo a formal process of recognition, called "canonization", to be declared saints.

But how can a body of living people, clerics, scholars, and the Pope, know which souls have achieved union with Christ? How do we measure consciousness? In Eastern traditions, saints may be living and their spiritual state observable. In liturgical Christianity, sainthood is posthumous.

The Canonization Process

In the Vatican, a multidisciplinary body called the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints investigates candidates for sainthood. They examine evidence of holiness, writings, and reputation. The process unfolds in stages:

       1. Servant of G-d
       2. Venerable
       3. Blessed
       4. Canonized Saint

Typically, two miracles attributed to the candidate are required. However, the Pope may waive this requirement and has the final say. The declaration is considered an act of faith and, in Catholic doctrine, an infallible act of the Pope.

Timelines and Questions

Historically, the average time to canonization was 181 years (Pew Research Center, 2014). But recent cases show a dramatic acceleration:

        St. Carlo Acutis: 19 years (d. 2006, canonized 2025)
        St. Mother Teresa: 19 years (d. 1997, canonized 2016)
        St. Pope John Paul II: 9 years (d. 2005, canonized 2014)

And then - an OMG moment! - St. Kateri Tekakwitha, an Indigenous Canadian saint, took 332 years to be canonized (d. 1680, canonized 2012).

This disparity invites reflection:

        What defines holiness or union with Christ? Can someone with morally troubling views (e.g., antisemitism) be canonized?

        Is the process equitable and fair?

        Can fast-tracking be influenced by marketing (to attract age groups, etc.), cultural messaging, or institutional diplomacy?

After reflecting on this, it helped me make peace with why St. Francis was never formally named Sanctus Alter Christus by the Church. Perhaps many have reached that sacred threshold, but their holiness remains unnamed, and hidden in the folds of mystery.

And this makes me wonder if we need a new way to recognize sanctity? One that honors not just saints canonized by the Church for its own purpose, but also those whose lives radiate divine union, even if history forgot their names. This led me to imagine a new framework; one that reclaims the mystical, the radical, and the deeply Christocentric path of sainthood.

Proposed Levels of Sainthood

In proposing this original framework for understanding sainthood, I do so with the intention of avoiding future controversies surrounding its nature and criteria. As a seeker, a skeptic, and a lover of spiritual truth, I recognize the Church's long standing tradition of honoring saints. My aim is not to replace that tradition, but to expand the lens through which sanctity is viewed, especially in light of mystical experience, comparative spirituality, and the quiet heroism of ordinary lives.

This taxonomy is my own. A theological reflection, and not a doctrinal claim.

Level 1 Saints: Sanctus Alter Christus

These are saints whose lives reflect deep mystical union with Christ, which some traditions call Christ Consciousness or theosis, the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship. These figures transcend doctrinal categories and embody divine love, humility, and spiritual unity with every being. Every Christian should strive for this.

Examples: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Paul, St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila

Level 2 Saints: Sanctus Ecclesiae

These are saints of the Church. Their lives may not epitomize theosis or mystical union or certainty of having a heavenly residence, but they were devoted to the highest good and served the Church faithfully. They fortified the Church's mission and identity through doctrinal, sacrificial, or charismatic contributions.

Subcategories include:

        Sanctus Doctor Ecclesiae - Doctors of the Church, known for theological brilliance
        Sanctus Martyrum Gloriosi - Glorious martyrs who died for the faith
        Sanctus Confessor Christi - Confessors who suffered for the faith without martyrdom
        Sanctus Virgo Sacra - Consecrated virgins who lived in purity and devotion
        Sanctus Charismatum - Saints with special charisms: healing, prophecy, even digital evangelism
        Sanctus Fidelis - Faithful saints who loved the Church and the Lord with steadfast devotion
        Sanctus Communis - Everyday saints honored for their quiet faithfulness in ordinary life or for cultural messaging

A New Light on St. Francis

This coming October 4th, may we see St. Francis in a new light that he is not merely a mascot of ecological awareness or patron of animals, but as a man who dared to live the Gospel without compromise. A man who, like Christ, was misunderstood, marginalized, and transfigured by love.

St. Francis is not just a figure of kindness, he is also a spiritual ideal. One we should emulate in our journey toward Christ Consciousness.

Praise be to the Lord Christ!

(Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, 2025)

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References

Hinnels, J.R. (Ed.). (2005). The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion. Routledge.

Holy See of the Catholic Church. (2016). Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), 2nd edition. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Ascension Publishing Group.

Pew Research Center. (2014, April 24). Papal saints: Once a given, now extremely rare. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/04/24/papal-saints-once-a-given-now-extremely-rare/

Robson, M.J. (Ed.). (2012). The Cambridge Companion to Francis of Assisi. Cambridge University Press.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). (n.d.). Saints. https://www.usccb.org/offices/public-affairs/saints

Image Credits:

Nicolas Roerich, Print: "Saint Francis," 1932, https://www.roerich.org/museum-paintings-catalogue.php







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