Blessed Francis of Fermo
Also known as
- Francesco de Fermo
- Francis of Petrioli
- Frans av Fermo
Profile
One of three Franciscans assigned to Armenia with a mission to improve the conditions of Christians there, and to bring the faith to any Muslims who were open. In Arzenga, Armenia, on the first Friday in Lent, the group stood in the street and preached Jesus to the people going to prayers. To prevent violence in the street, the local leader ordered a stop to the preaching. The missionaries ignored the order and returned the following Friday. Local Muslims threatened to kill the street preachers, and the council of elders agreed. On the third Friday, the missionaries returned, were arrested, and dragged to the city’s public square. A local Muslim man tried to defend them and spoke against violence, but he was killed on the spot. The mob then turned on the Franciscans, attacking with swords, dismembering the men before finally killing them. Martyr.
- beheaded on 15 March 1314 at Arzenga, Armenia
- their severed arms and legs were hung on the city walls as a warning, their bodies dragged to the fields to be left for wild animals
- body parts collected and buried by a local priest and his parishioners
MLA Citation
- “Blessed Francis of Fermo“. CatholicSaints.Info. 14 March 2023. Web. 25 April 2024. <>