St. Francis has long been revered as a lover of nature and of God's animals.  St. Francis believed that nature was God's mirror.  He preached that the world was created by God and that the world was good and beautiful.  He believed that because of man and man's sin, the world needed redemption.  He felt that man had a duty to protect nature and all of God's creatures.  He lived from 1181 until 1226 and was declared a saint in 1228.  He is known as the Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment.  In 1979, Pope John Paul II declared St. Franics to be the Patron of Ecology.  

For these reasons, many depictions of St. Francis always include him surrounded by animals or birds.  It was said that he could talk to wild animals and that they would remain still and listen to his voice.  

This St. Francis plaque measures 6.5 inches wide by 10.5 inches high and shows the saint with flowers and with birds.  The words on the plaque are "Lord Make Me an Instrument of thy Peace.  

This plaque is created for outdoor use.