Agnellus was born to a noble family in Pisa, Italy - probably during the mid 1190s.

In 1212 he met St Francis of Assisi during the saint’s preaching tour of Tuscany. Five years later Agnellus was sent to found the first friary in Paris, where he later became Custos (responsible for a group of friaries within a province).

At the 1223 General Chapter the friars determined to establish a Franciscan presence in England. Agnellus was charged, together with the Minister Provincial of France, Gregory of Naples, to prepare the introduction of the Friars to England. The work was carried out with care, and  included five Englishmen in the group of 9 friars who arrived in England in September 1224 with Agnellus the first Minister Provincial of the English Province.

Following a first foundation in Canterbury, Agnellus went on to found friaries in London and Oxford. At Oxford he founded a school at the friary where the brilliant Robert Grosseteste, later Bishop of Lincoln, was the first teacher of the Friars.
His careful planning bore abundant fruit and 23 friaries were founded in the Province by the time of his death. Within 50 years there were 1,500 Friars in the Province of England.

Agnellus died after a short illness at the friary in Oxford on 13th March in either 1235 or 1236. He was buried there before the high altar and, a few years later, his body was found still incorrupt.

During the Henrician dissolution of the monasteries the Oxford friary and church were destroyed during the time of Henry VIII. The site of the friary is commemorated by a plaque commemorating the scientist and friar, Roger Bacon, who died in the Friary c1292. The plaque is installed in the Westgate Centre, near the newly formed Old Greyfriars Place.

The Memoria of St Agnellus of Pisa is kept on 10th September.

Lord our God,
you freed blessed Agnellus
from too great an attachment to this world
and made him a follower of the cross.
Grant that, following his example,
we may come to the glory of heaven.
We make our prayer
through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
​in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.



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Window from St. Edmund & St. Frideswide (Greyfriars)Church, Oxford. Photograph (c) 2025, Allen Morris