St Francis of Assisi

Assisi was the home of St Francis, the Patron Saint of Italy, and the most important religious figure to have come out of Italy. As a youth he was involved in the interminable wars between Assisi and Perugia, and spent some time in a Perugian prison, and was once described as 'the first instigator of evil, and behind none in foolishness.'

He went on to became an immensely significant religious figure. His great theme was the glorification of God through the wonders of the natural world, summed up best in his beautiful 'Canticle To The Sun'. He set up the very first Christmas crib using live farm animals - they all come from St Francis.

He also established a women's order, the Poor Clares, but he died aged only 44. The Basilica at Assisi now houses his remains, and therein lies a story.

The Basilica is enormous. It consists, literally, of two cathedrals, one on top of the other, and when St Francis died the head of his order hid the body deep inside the lower cathedral, safe from attack from Perugia. The body was finally discovered in the 19th century, and the whole Basilica is worth a visit.