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Who was St. Clare of Assisi and why is she honored with sainthood?

St. Clare was 13th‑century Italian mystic who founded the Poor Clares and was canonized for her life of radical poverty, humility, and devotion to Christ. <br><br> St. Clare of Assisi lived from 1193/1194 to 1253, growing up in the same spiritual atmosphere that shaped St. Francis. Inspired by his preaching, she left her noble family to embrace a life of absolute poverty and founded the Order of Poor Ladies, later known as the Poor Clares. Her holiness was marked by unwavering simplicity, deep prayer, and extraordinary trust in God, including the famous moment when she held up the Blessed Sacrament to repel invading soldiers. She was canonized in 1255 because her life embodied the Franciscan ideal of joyful poverty and because her spiritual leadership shaped one of the most enduring communities of contemplative women in the Church. <br><br>