On November 13, 2025, at Immacolata Hall of the Convent of San Salvatore in Jerusalem, one of the most significant events of the Franciscan Centennials cycle took place: the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi.

The event, open to the public, brought together civil authorities, ecclesiastical representatives, religious figures, scholars, musicians and the faithful from the various communities of the Holy Land.

Highlighting the cultural and spiritual value of the evening, the presence of Dr. Domenico Bellato, Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem; H.E. Mons. Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio; Fr. Francesco Ielpo, O.F.M., Custos of the Holy Land and Fr. Ulises Zarza, O.F.M., Custodial Vicar.

The joint presence of these figures gave the celebration a particularly strong institutional character, reaffirming the role of dialogue and culture in the Franciscan mission in the Middle East.

An evening of words and music

The commemoration included the reading of the Canticle of the Creatures in seven different languages, representative of the cultural mosaic of the Holy Land (Italian, English, French, Arabic, Armenian, Portuguese and Vietnamese).

Interspersed with the readings, the pieces performed by the Magnificat Institute of Jerusalem, which in 2025 celebrated its 30th anniversary, created an atmosphere of profound harmony.

Music and words intertwined, creating a shared experience that allowed the audience to rediscover the poetic and spiritual relevance of the Canticle.

The event was part of the "Francesco tra le righe" series, promoted within the Franciscan Centennials 2023–2026, dedicated to the anniversary of the Stigmata, the Canticle and the Easter of Francis.

The Canticle of the Creatures: a hymn across eight centuries

Composed by St. Francis of Assisi between 1224 and 1225, during the most painful period of his life, the Canticle of the Creatures — also known as the Canticle of Brother Sun — is considered one of the first poetic texts in the Italian language.

Francis wrote it in the hut of San Damiano, hosted by Saint Clare and her sisters, while suffering from a severe eye illness.

The text is a praise to God through the beauty of creation: the sun, the moon, the water, the fire, Mother Earth, man and even death, called “sister”, as it is also part of the path towards God.

This vision, revolutionary for its time, continues to speak to contemporary sensibilities, especially for its message of integral ecology and universal fraternity.

Francesco tra le righe: a project of words and encounter

The "Francesco tra le righe" series, from which the cultural initiative in Jerusalem originated, aims to bring to light the writings of Francis, restoring their freshness, immediacy and symbolic power.

Through presentations, readings and public meetings, the project makes the texts and spirituality of the Saint accessible to all — faithful, scholars, tourists and residents.

Words of the Consul General of Italy

At the end of the event, Dr. Domenico Bellato, Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem, emphasized the profound value of the evening and the universal significance of the anniversary:
“It is undoubtedly a significant evening because above all it celebrates the 800 years of the Canticle and the message of St. Francis. Hearing the Canticle recited in so many languages made it even clearer that the message conveyed by this work is a universal message, a message that unites, an incontrovertible message of peace, brotherhood, gratitude. I therefore think that it is particularly significant and appropriate also in these historical circumstances. As we said, culture is a means of dialogue and mutual understanding, and for this reason initiatives like this certainly deserve our support.”