In St Francis day, there were only two social classes, the majores (nobility), and the minores (peasants), with a growing group of merchants in a middle state not yet clearly defined. As he grew in his devotion to our God who became poor to dwell among us, Francis wanted to follow Christ in a very concrete way. Francis decided that, in order to do this to the fullest, he must live a poor life himself, so he adopted the common dress of peasants, a simple tunic of unbleached, un-dyed wool. Many peasants also wore a hood, and a rope around the waist was handy for keeping loose clothing out of the way while working.
When other men asked to join him in his way of life, Francis had them wear peasant clothes, too, and he called them fratrum minorum (lesser brothers).
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