The term Franciscan is used to refer to those in Roman Catholic religious orders which follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St. Francis", or a member of one of these orders. There are also small Old Catholic and Protestant Franciscan communities.
The best known group following "The rule of St. Francis" is the Order of Friars Minor (commonly called simply the "Franciscans"). The Order of Friars Minor is a mendicant religious order of men tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi.