How St. Francis came to abandon wealth for a life centered on the Eucharist

St. Francis of Assisi was born into a privileged position as the firstborn son of Pietro di Bernardone dei Moriconi and Pica de Bourlemont. His father was an ambitious merchant who sought to elevate his family's social status through successful business ventures, including frequent trips to France to purchase fine cloth.

Pietro named his son Francesco to celebrate both the birth of his firstborn and a successful business trip to France. While described as a good man, Pietro was a driven businessman focused on worldly ambition and the accumulation of wealth.