方济会(Franciscan)

天主教修会，1209年由阿西西的圣方济创立。方济会实际上由三个修会构成。第一会包含司铎以及发愿过祈祷、传信和忏悔的生活的在俗弟兄。第二会（成立於1212年）包含圣克拉雷修会的修女，亦即克拉雷安贫会。第三会的成员是从事教育、社会和慈善事业以效法圣方济精神的神职人员和男女在俗人员。根据这部戒规，方济会托修士不得拥有财产，个人拥有或集体拥有（即全修会公有）都不许。修士们云游四方，在众人中间宣讲教义，帮助穷人和病人。沿街讲道的修士，不出十年人数发展到5,000名。1223年提出一部较为宽放的戒规。即使是在1226年方济逝世之前，方济会内部已经发生冲突，争论的问题在於如何遵守绝财的誓愿。在圣波拿文都拉任总会长期间（1257～1274），他对於绝财戒规提出明智而温和的解释。彼时方济会会士遍布欧洲各地，方济会传教人员进入叙利亚和非洲。方济会三支会在法国大革命期间都遭受损害，19世纪复兴。天主教会的许多习俗是由方济会倡导推广的。

English version：

Franciscan

Member of a Christian religious order founded in 1209 by St. Francis of Assisi. The Franciscans actually consist of three orders. The First Order comprises priests and lay brothers who have sworn to a life of prayer, preaching, and penance. The Second Order (founded 1212) consists of cloistered nuns known as the Poor Clares. The Third Order consists of religious members and laypersons who observe Franciscan principles in teaching, charity, and social service. The Rule of St. Francis stipulated that Franciscan friars could own no property of any kind, either individually or communally. The friars wandered and preached among the people, helping the poor and sick. Their impact was immense; within 10 years they numbered 5,000. A milder version of the rule was approved in 1223, and after the death of St. Francis in 1226 the order was divided by conflicts over the vow of poverty. A moderate interpretation of the rule was established while St. Bonaventure was minister general of the order (1257-74), and the friars spread throughout Europe, their missionaries penetrating as far as Syria and Africa. Though continuing dissent led to divisions of the order into the 19th century, the Franciscans flourished, and they remain the largest Roman Catholic religious order.