Fighting Franciscans

St. Francis of Assisi sent a group of his Friars Minor to the Holy Land in 1217. When the Crusaders left Palestine, the Franciscans stayed behind, to guard the Christian shrines. In 1342 Pope Clement VI confirmed them as official guardians of the Holy Places on behalf of the Roman Catholic world./- Last week they sent out a call for help.

In Rome Franciscans from the Holy Land announced their intention to raise a militia of from 500 to 1,000 Christian volunteers of all nationalities to help the 408 friars now in Palestine in protecting the shrines under their control from looting and from Arabs or Jews who would use them for military purposes.

/- Both the Orthodox Church and the Moslems also guard Christian Holy Places in Palestine.

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