Chiara Offreduccio (16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253), known as Clare of Assisi (sometimes spelled Clara, Clair or Claire; Italian: Chiara d'Assisi), was an Italian saint who was one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi.

Inspired by the teachings of St. Francis, she founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition. The Order of Poor Ladies was different from any other order or convent because it followed a rule of strict poverty. Clare wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman. Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the Poor Clares. Her feast day is on 11 August. (Full article...)
Attributes: Monstrance, pyx, lamp, habit of the Poor Clares
Patronage: Eye disease, goldsmiths, laundry, television, good weather, needleworkers; Santa Clara, California; Santa Clarita, California; Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico; Obando, Bulacan, Philippines
See also: Philomena