Elias of Cortona[a] (c. 1180 – April 22, 1253) was a close associate of Saint Francis of Assisi and one of the earliest followers to join the newly founded Order of Friars Minor.

Prior to joining the Franciscan Order, Elias assisted in his family's confectionary and mattress business and taught children in Assisi to read the Psalter.

The exact time and place of his joining the order remain uncertain, though Luke Wadding, a Franciscan historian, proposes Cortona in 1211.

Pope Gregory IX, a great patron of the Franciscans and their official protector as Cardinal Ugolino, entrusted Brother Elias with the task of building a magnificent church to house the body of Saint Francis.

[1] To finance the basilica's construction, Elias, with papal authorization, obtained the Collis Inferni, a hill at the town's western extremity.

They cited the grandeur of the new Basilica of Saint Francis and Sacro Convento as examples of this, which Elias oversaw as the final resting place of the holy founder.

These residences served as centers of learning and represented a significant departure from the order's earlier tradition of small, scattered hermitages and a more itinerant lifestyle.

[3] In 1238, Pope Gregory IX sent Elias of Cortona as an ambassador to the excommunicated Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.

[5] Shortly before his death, Elias was reconciled with both the Holy See and the Franciscan Order, with Saint Clare playing a mediating role.

[2] In April 2016, Ave Maria Press published the first popular history about Elias of Cortona titled The Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started.

While a 2016 book reflects a critical view of his role, his reputation underwent reassessment during the 18th and early 20th centuries, particularly within the Conventual Franciscan movement.

In 1923, Cardinal Pietro Gasparri advocated for a balanced historical evaluation of Elias, emphasizing the importance of recognizing both his achievements and his flaws.