In the last years of his life, Saint Francis of Assisi sought prayer and union with Christ with even greater intensity. In 1224 he withdrew to Mount La Verna, a solitary and remote place, to devote himself to penance and contemplation. During this time he meditated especially on the passion and suffering of Jesus, longing to love and follow him ever more closely. Francis received an extraordinary vision of a crucified seraph that appeared to him surrounded by great light. 

After this mystical experience, the marks of Christ's passion appeared on his body: wounds in his hands, feet, and side, like the wounds of Jesus on the cross. This event, known as the stigmata, was seen by his brothers as a sign of Francis's profound identification with Christ. He sought no fame or recognition for it; on the contrary, he tried to hide the wounds and continued living with humility and simplicity.