Following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare formed what would eventually be called the "Poor Clares," a religious order of nuns who spend their lives in contemplative prayer.
Shortly after they were established, they were given a monastery on the outskirts of Assisi and St. Clare lived there until the end of her life.
At one point, a group of soldiers approached the city and decided to first ransack the monastery before proceeding to attack the rest of the city.
Miraculous protection
A few of the sisters saw this and thought St. Clare's health was already poor, the sisters alerted her of the soldiers, who were getting closer.
An account of what happened next has been preserved in the documents that were prepared for St. Clare's canonization:
“When she had thoroughly prostrated herself to the Lord in prayer, she said to her Christ with tears in her eyes, ‘Look, my Lord, do You wish to deliver into the hands of pagans Your defenseless servants whom You have nourished with Your own love? Lord, I beg You, defend these Your servants whom I am not able to defend at this time.’ Suddenly a voice from the mercy-seat of new grace, as if of a little child, resounded in her ears: “I will always defend you.’ ‘My Lord,’ she said, ‘please protect this city which for Your love sustains us.’ And the Lord said to her: ‘It will suffer many afflictions, but will be defended by My protection.’
The Catholic Encyclopedia narrates what happened next:
Clare, calmly rising from her sick bed, and taking the ciborium from the little chapel adjoining her cell, proceeded to face the invaders at an open window against which they had already placed a ladder. It is related that, as she raised the Blessed Sacrament on high, the soldiers who were about to enter the monastery fell backward as if dazzled, and the others who were ready to follow them took flight.
Interestingly enough, this was not the last time that St. Clare saved the city. Later on, a soldier led the imperial army against Assisi, hoping to claim it for himself. When St. Clare heard that his troops were drawing close to the city, she urged her community to stop everything and pray to God for protection.
Immediately the army was set into confusion and dispersed. The leader of the army never came back and the city of Assisi remained in peace.
The event left such an impression upon the followers of St. Clare that they established an annual feast commemorating God's promise to protect them.
The Poor Clares celebrate June 22 as "Covenant Day," remembering how God came to the rescue and has been faithful to that vow he made to St. Clare ever since.
