Many saints have borne the stigmata—wounds resembling those of Christ's crucifixion. While some of those saints have written about their experience, little is known of the personal experience of the first of all saints to brandish this extraordinary sign, St. Francis of Assisi. They were and have remained his carefully guarded secret.

In The Five Wounds of Saint Francis, author Fr. Solanus Benfatti, C.F.R., explores the significance of this miraculous event in the Saint's life through careful analysis of pertinent medieval literature and recent scholarly studies. He establishes the historicity of the event, which has been called into question, and draws surprising and inspiring conclusions, leaving the reader with a fresh understanding of Saint Francis's spiritual experience.

"A study fascinating to any student of Saint Francis, which opens up his own personal understanding of the stigmata."
Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R., best-selling author