Episode 105 - Following Francis

Episode 105 - Following Francis

From The Camino Podcast by Dave Whitson

December 10, 2025 · 1h 3m

About this episode

The episode explores the life and influence of Saint Francis and the modern pilgrimage routes associated with him.

800 years ago, not-yet-Saint Francis was approaching the end of his 45 years, his body ragged from a life marked by illness and heavy usage, his eyesight all but gone. Those years, though, had been put to exceptionally good use, spurring the establishment of a Catholic order and ethical worldview that would profoundly influence both the Church and generations of exceptional leaders of all backgrounds. While pilgrims walked to Santiago in those years, the Via di Francesco, or the Way of Saint Francis, is a modern construct, linking together the many different towns and sanctuaries that Il Poverello walked through on his life-long pilgrimage. Russ Eanes (www.russeanes.com) keeps finding his way back to Francis and the Francesco, first writing about the pilgrimage route in Pilgrim Paths to Assisi: 300 Miles on the Way of St. Francis, and now about Francis himself in the brand new Good Morning, Good People!: Tales for the Way of St. Francis. For more information on The Camino Podcast: www.davewhitson.com www.facebook.com/CaminoPodcast www.patreon.com/davewhitson

People in this episode

Host: Dave Whitson

Guest: Russ Eanes

Topics covered

  • pilgrimage
  • Saint Francis
  • Catholic Church
  • historical influence
  • spiritual journey

Keywords

  • Saint Francis
  • pilgrimage
  • Via di Francesco
  • Catholic order
  • Russ Eanes

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Pilgrim Paths to Assisi: 300 Miles on the Way of St. Francis, Good Morning, Good People!: Tales for the Way of St. Francis

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