A travelogue of parallel journeys: that of Francis of Assisi on his way to sainthood in the thirteenth century, and that of author Francke, who followed his path through the beauty of central and coastal Italy, and on to Egypt. She and her husband, Harvey Loomis, used medieval texts as their guidebooks. Theirs was not a spiritual journey but one based on admiration for a man whose legend continues to inspire and fascinate millions around the world. From Assisi--a small Umbrian town now second only to Rome as an Italian pilgrimage destination--Saint Francis crisscrossed Italy for twenty years. So too does the author travel through the "green heart" of Italy to hill towns and cities and to the many Franciscan sanctuaries. Along the way, Francke draws us into the splendid beauty of the landscape that inspired the saint's love for nature and regard for all living things.--From publisher description.