LEONE of Assisi, blessed. - B. in the last decades of the 13th century, d. in 1271. The intimate and faithful companion of s. Francesco, who called him “God’s little sheep” because of the simplicity and innocence of his life, brother L., perhaps already a priest, embraced the Franciscan life in its very earliest days. He was not, however, among the first twelve companions of the Saint, who chose him as his confessor and often also as his secretary and confidant.
For him s. Francesco wrote the autograph blessing, still preserved in the basilica of the Saint at Assisi, the Laudi del Signore, and a letter. After the latter’s death, he too suffered at the hands of brother Elia. He subsequently lived in small hermitages. In 1243 he was certainly at Greccio, whence he signed the dedicatory letter of the famous «Legenda trium sociorum» (written by him and the other companions of s. Francesco, brother Angelo and brother Rufino), addressing it to the general minister fra Crescenzo da Jesi.
It is difficult to determine the specifically Leonine element in the various recensions and alterations undergone by his recollections through later compilers, especially
in the Speculum perfectionis. The Franciscan Spirituals often appealed to his writings at the beginning of the 14th century. He certainly wrote a life of brother Egidio (v.); it is not known whether his two treatises, Verba s. Francisci and De intentione Regulae s. Francisci, formed part of a more extensive work.
The name of brother L. is known especially for the famous dialogue on perfect joy contained in chap. VIII of the Fioretti of s. Francesco.