Order of Friars Minor Conventual
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (O.F.M.Conv.) is a male religious fraternity in the Catholic Church and a branch of the Franciscan Order. Conventual Franciscan Friars are identified by the affix O.F.M.Conv. after their names. They are also known as Conventual Franciscans or Minorites.
Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi, the most important church of the Order, where the saint's body is preserved.
A Conventual Franciscan in Brazil
The Franciscans are a group of related mendicant religious orders of the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi, these orders include three independent orders for men, orders for nuns such as the Order of Saint Clare, and the Third Order of Saint Francis open to male and female members. They adhere to the teachings and spiritual disciplines of the founder and of his main associates and followers, such as Clare of Assisi, Anthony of Padua, and Elizabeth of Hungary. Several smaller Protestant Franciscan orders or other groups have been established since late 1800's as well, particularly in the Anglican and Lutheran traditions.
Francis of Assisi, founder of the Order of Friars Minor; oldest known portrait in existence of Francis, dating back to his retreat to Subiaco (1223–1224)
Saint Francis Comforted by a Musician Angel, by Francisco Ribalta.
Regula bullata, the rule confirmed by Pope Honorius III
The Confirmation of the Franciscan Rule by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494), Capella Sassetti, Florence