Cardinal attacks mayor's ban on beggars in the town of St Francis
By Nick Pisa in Rome
2 May 2008

Vatican officials have criticised a council's decision to ban beggars in the home town of St Francis of Assisi.

The saint is renowned for his charitable works to animals and people but is doesn't appear to have rubbed off on the burghers of Assisi.

The town - which attracts thousands of pilgrims every year - has passed an edict which bans beggars from within 1,600 feet of public buildings including churches.

Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and for Migrants and Itinerants this week attacked the decision passed by mayor Claudio Ricci.

Cardinal Martino said:' "Begging is not a crime. I don't understand why this law has been passed. "I know that there are always speculators but we must always help the least fortunate because among these downtrodden is Jesus Christ. St Francis was the saint of the poor - all I will say is that asking for help from your fellow man in front of a church is not a crime.''

Mayor Ricci said: "What the new law says is that within 500 metres of any public building in Assisi it is now an offence to prostrate yourself on the ground and beg. What we are trying to do is protect the sanctity of the city centre and the area around public buildings especially churches and the Convent of St Francis.''

Mayor Ricci added that the new by-law also banned tourists from wandering the streets of Assisi in bikinis and skimpy clothing and that anyone who breached the rule would be fined £280. The by-law is similar to ones introduced by mayors in the cities of Vicenza, Padova, Verona, Venice and Florence, all popular tourist destinations.

St Francis is the patron saint of animals, birds, the environment and Italy and is the founder of the Order of Franciscans.

He was born in Assisi and became a friar in 1209 and devoted his life to the poor - once as a young man he was berated by his father for giving a beggar all the money he had in his pockets.

St Francis lived his life as a beggar giving whatever he had to the poor and he also cared for lepers. He died in 1226 aged 45, and Pope Gregory IX made him a saint two years later.

His body is buried in the crypt of the Convent which is a World Heritage Site and is decorated with fabulous frescoes.