Saint Francis Knihy

St Francis of Assisi's embrace of a life of poverty revolutionized Christianity even as it transformed the ethics of the West. This text preserves the legend of St Francis, combining stories of miracles with portraits of his first disciples who were no less human for having been touched by God.

Between 1225 and 1226, in his final year, Francis of Assisi composed the "Canticle of the Sun," expressing deep appreciation for nature, addressing the sun, moon, earth, and elements as "brother" and "sister." Frank Missant, with his extensive knowledge of Italian Middle Ages art and culture, captures the aesthetic spirit of this era in his calligraphic interpretation of this spiritual classic. Calligraphy, derived from the Greek for "beautiful writing," merges word and image, allowing artists to visually express the meaning of words while remaining true to the text. This discipline has held spiritual significance across cultures and ages, appearing in nearly every language and religion. The Shambhala Calligraphy series showcases contemporary interpretations of traditional texts, featuring striking new works by modern calligraphers. In various scripts, including Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Chinese pictographs, characters and words are revitalized, creating a choreography of mind, hand, and heart that fuses letter and spirit in a single stroke.

The writings of St. Francis of Assisi

Das Leporello von Jörgen Habedank illustriert das bekannte Gebet, das oft Franz von Assisi zugeschrieben wird, jedoch wahrscheinlich von einem französischen Soldaten vor dem Ersten Weltkrieg verfasst wurde. Die Malerei erstreckt sich über fast einen Meter Länge und erzählt eine große, zusammenhängende Geschichte.

Der Sonnengesang gehört zu den bekanntesten Schriften des Franz von Assisi, der ihn am Ende seines Lebens dichtete, vermutlich 1224 oder Anfang 1225. In dieser Zeit erkrankte er schwer. Den Tod vor Augen, aber die wärmende Sonne im Geist und Herzen, ruft er die Menschen zur Lobpreisung Gottes in allen Geschöpfen der Erde auf. Der Sonnengesang ist einer der ältesten Texte der Menschheit - voller Liebe, Ehrfurcht vor dem Leben und Optimismus.