Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/January 29

Juniper, also known as Brother Juniper (Italian: Fra Ginepro) (died 1258), called "the renowned jester of the Lord", was one of the original followers of Francis of Assisi. Not much is known about Juniper before he joined the friars. In 1210, he was received into the Order of Friars Minor by Francis himself. "Would to God, my brothers, that I had a whole forest of such Junipers," Francis would delightfully pun.

Francis sent him to establish "places" for the friars in Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo. When Clare of Assisi was dying, Juniper consoled her. Juniper is buried at Ara Coeli Church at Rome. (Full article...)
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See also: Saint Francis Taylor