How the Mother of Christ, St.John the Evangelist and St.Francis appeared to Brother Peter (44)

At the time when Brother Conrad dwelt in the Custody of Ancona, at the hermitage of Forano, together with the above-mentioned Brother Peter, both of them being shining stars in the province of the March, and truly a pair of celestial men - it happened one day, while Brother Peter was at prayer and meditating devoutly on the Passion of Christ and how the blessed Mother of Christ, and St.John, the beloved disciple, and St.Francis were depicted at the foot of the Cross, crucified with Christ by their mental agony, he felt the desire to know which of the three had suffered most through the Passion of Christ. Was it the Mother who had borne Him, or the disciple who had lain on His breast, or St.Francis, who had been crucified with Christ in his body?

And while Brother Peter was devoutly thinking on these things, there appeared to him the blessed Virgin Mary with St.John the Evangelist and with St.Francis, clad in noble raiment of blessed glory. But St.Francis appeared to be clad in more glorious raiment than St.John. Br.Peter was awe-struck at this vision, but St.John comforted him, saying: "Be not afraid, my dearest brother, for we have come to comfort you and free you from your doubts. Know therefore that the Mother of Christ and I grieve more than any other creature over the Passion of Christ, but after us St.Francis has had greater sorrow for it than any other, and that is why you see him in such glory."

And Brother Peter asked him: "Most holy Apostle of Christ, why does St.Francis' raiment seem more beautiful than yours?" St.John replied: "The reason thereof is this: because when he was in the world, he wore more wretched garments than I did." And having said these words, St.John gave Brother Peter a glorious garment which he was holding in his hands, and said to him: "Take this garment, which I have received so that I might give it to you." But as St.John was about to clothe Brother Peter in that garment, Brother Peter fell to the ground in his amazement and began to cry out aloud: "Brother Conrad, dearest Brother Conrad, hasten and come to see marvelous things!" And while he was saying these words, the vision disappeared. Then, when he saw Brother Conrad, he described to him what had happened, and they thanked God. Amen.