Palm Sunday: Clare Leaves Home

Furthermore, lest mundane dust might in the future sully the unspotted mirror of her soul, or mundane contagion corrupt Clare at such a susceptible age, the good Father hastened to lead her out of the dark world. The solemnity of Palm Sunday was drawing nigh when the girl with great fervor betook herself to the Man of God for counsel as to her retreat from the world, as to what was to be done, and how she was to do it. Father Francis ordained that on the feast day Clare, dressed out and adorned, should come to the blessing of the palms with the rest of the people: that on the night following she should go forth from the camp and that her worldly joy be turned into mourning for the Lord’s Passion. When Sunday had come, the girl, radiant in festive array among the crowd of women, entered the church with the others. There a noteworthy presage occurred, for whereas the rest pressed forward to receive the branches, Clare through modesty remained in her place without moving, whereupon the Prelate, descending from the steps, came to her and put a palm in her hands. The following night Clare set about the accomplishment of the Saint’s command, and, with some trusty companions, began her longed-for flight. But not wishing to leave by the usual door, she broke open, with a strength that astonished herself, another one which was walled up by a mass of beams and stones. Thus leaving behind her, home, city and kindred, Clare hastened to St. Mary of the Porziuncola, where the Friars who were keeping vigil at the little altar with lighted torches received the virgin Clare. Immediately casting aside the sordidness of Babylon, she there gave a bill of divorce to the world, and forsook her various ornaments, her tresses being shorn at the hands of the Friars. Nor was it befitting that the Order of virginity to be raised up toward evening should flower elsewhere than in the sanctuary of her who, first and most worthy of all, was alone a virgin and a mother. This is that place in which the new militia of the poor under the leadership of Francis took on its happy beginnings that it might be clearly manifest that both religions were brought forth by the Mother of Mercies in her inn. But after Clare had received the holy livery of Penance before the altar of the Blessed Mary, and after the humble handmaid had been espoused to Christ as if by the couch of this Virgin, St. Francis straightway led her to the Church of St. Paul, to abide in that place until the Most High should provide another.