St. Francis of Assisi

Many authors, especially Franciscan ones, attribute to St. Francis of Assisi the first non-military approach on the part to the Christians to the Muslim world based on a mission his missionaries carried on in 1219.  In reality, Innocent II's letter Inter opera misericordie of March 8, 1199, indicates that the Trinitarians made non-military approaches to the Muslims 20 years before the Franciscans.  The Pope's letter is a presentation letter commending the Trinitarians and soliciting the King of Morocco, Abu Abd Allah Muhammad al-Nasir, to engage in negotiations with them in regard to the ransoming of captives, both Christian and Muslim.

Contributed by Sr. Coraly