Clare, St

Clare, St, born in 1193, of a noble family of Assisi, in 1212 retired to the Portiuncula of St Francis, and in the same year founded the order of Franciscan nuns, which spread rapidly through Europe. She died August 11, 1253. Two years afterwards, she was canonised by Alexander IV.; her festival falls on August 12.—The Nuns of the Order of St Clara (also called the Poor Clares) at first observed the strictest Benedictine rule, but the austerity of this rule was mitigated by St Francis in 1224, and further modified by Urban IV. in 1265. Several convents adhered to the first and strictest rule; but the large proportion of the nuns adopted Urban's rule, and are distinguished as Urbanists. The existing convents are chiefly devoted to the education of girls.