The Dormitory of St. Clare can be found on the second floor of San Damiano in Assisi. Her specific spot in the brick-floored, plain-walled room was in the corner. The room had only a single window, yet nonetheless, the room managed to maintain a fairly cold temperature. It was here that St. Clare spent a long portion of her life, debilitated from her ascetic lifestyle, simply laying and praying on her straw mat.
This plain room demonstrates St. Clare’s love for simplicity. She believed that the world in which they lived would be passing away, and so the more worthwhile pursuits would be those of the spirit. As such, St. Clare devoted much of her life to prayer in this room. Hours upon hours of prayer and contemplation led St. Clare deeper and deeper into a relationship with God, where she found all the comfort she needed. Going hand in hand with her value of simplicity is that of poverty. The simplicity of her life could only be attained in rejecting all possible physical comforts. As such, the walls were kept bare and the straw mat on which she slept had little else to make it more comfortable. Lastly, in connection with these points, this room clearly shows St. Clare’s temporal realization of simplicity and poverty. Through her actions and those of her community, she aimed to promote a simpler lifestyle. This room proved that she lived out the lifestyle she endorsed.
By her espousing of the virtues of simplicity and poverty, St. Clare’s dormitory also shows the social inheritance she received from St. Francis. His work inspired her to start the movement that she did, beginning with her pledge to him at Porzincula, and continuing through their correspondence throughout life. Whether St. Clare would have become the saint she is without the influence of St. Francis is unknown, but the impact he left on her life is undeniable.
St. Clare’s writings agree with the values found through examination of her dormitory. In one of her letters to St. Agnes of Prague, she writes: “If so great and good a Lord, then, on coming into the Virgin’s womb, chose to appear despised, needy, and poor in this world [ . . . ] then rejoice and be glad!” (First Letter, 19,21). The words St. Clare uses to describe Jesus are words that could just as easily describe her and her order. They would be looked down upon by society’s upper class for the poverty in which they live their lives. The habit of begging for their needs would certainly contribute to their public perception of being needy and poor. For her, this is perfect, since it mirrors Jesus’ social position. By reflecting Him in their simplicity and poverty, St. Clare and her order expressed a genuine reflection of Christ in all they did.
While St. Clare’s actions certainly helped her experience God in a very surreal fashion, they also helped her identify with the poor in her own community. Coming from a member of the nobility, St. Clare never needed to experience poverty. She could easily enough have been married off to some man, and live a comfortable life after that (class discussion). However, through her asceticism, she gains solidarity with the poor in her community. This group of people, who she had never been familiar with before, now have become those who live a life as close to she does. As she is aiming to help the poor through her efforts, her living of their lifestyle helps her to understand them more. St. Clare, through her acts of poverty, came to know the reality of life for the impoverished in her midst.
This artifact of St. Clare reveals how she aimed to find God in living a simple life. Her identity as a Christian focused less on having a proper appearance, but on having a proper relationship with God. By trimming off the excess, she allowed God to come into her life, and further a genuine relationship with a living God.
Photo Credit for image of St. Clare's Dormitory goes to fraangelicoinstitute.com
This plain room demonstrates St. Clare’s love for simplicity. She believed that the world in which they lived would be passing away, and so the more worthwhile pursuits would be those of the spirit. As such, St. Clare devoted much of her life to prayer in this room. Hours upon hours of prayer and contemplation led St. Clare deeper and deeper into a relationship with God, where she found all the comfort she needed. Going hand in hand with her value of simplicity is that of poverty. The simplicity of her life could only be attained in rejecting all possible physical comforts. As such, the walls were kept bare and the straw mat on which she slept had little else to make it more comfortable. Lastly, in connection with these points, this room clearly shows St. Clare’s temporal realization of simplicity and poverty. Through her actions and those of her community, she aimed to promote a simpler lifestyle. This room proved that she lived out the lifestyle she endorsed.
By her espousing of the virtues of simplicity and poverty, St. Clare’s dormitory also shows the social inheritance she received from St. Francis. His work inspired her to start the movement that she did, beginning with her pledge to him at Porzincula, and continuing through their correspondence throughout life. Whether St. Clare would have become the saint she is without the influence of St. Francis is unknown, but the impact he left on her life is undeniable.
St. Clare’s writings agree with the values found through examination of her dormitory. In one of her letters to St. Agnes of Prague, she writes: “If so great and good a Lord, then, on coming into the Virgin’s womb, chose to appear despised, needy, and poor in this world [ . . . ] then rejoice and be glad!” (First Letter, 19,21). The words St. Clare uses to describe Jesus are words that could just as easily describe her and her order. They would be looked down upon by society’s upper class for the poverty in which they live their lives. The habit of begging for their needs would certainly contribute to their public perception of being needy and poor. For her, this is perfect, since it mirrors Jesus’ social position. By reflecting Him in their simplicity and poverty, St. Clare and her order expressed a genuine reflection of Christ in all they did.
While St. Clare’s actions certainly helped her experience God in a very surreal fashion, they also helped her identify with the poor in her own community. Coming from a member of the nobility, St. Clare never needed to experience poverty. She could easily enough have been married off to some man, and live a comfortable life after that (class discussion). However, through her asceticism, she gains solidarity with the poor in her community. This group of people, who she had never been familiar with before, now have become those who live a life as close to she does. As she is aiming to help the poor through her efforts, her living of their lifestyle helps her to understand them more. St. Clare, through her acts of poverty, came to know the reality of life for the impoverished in her midst.
This artifact of St. Clare reveals how she aimed to find God in living a simple life. Her identity as a Christian focused less on having a proper appearance, but on having a proper relationship with God. By trimming off the excess, she allowed God to come into her life, and further a genuine relationship with a living God.
Photo Credit for image of St. Clare's Dormitory goes to fraangelicoinstitute.com