Nel nome del Cantico - In the name of the Canticle
On the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures”
From 2 to 4 December, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis’
Beloved “Canticle of the Creatures”, a work that continues to inspire generations with its universal message of love and respect for all creatures, a group of approximately twenty poets from Italy and all over the world will meet for an extraordinary event entitled In the name of the Canticle, promoted by the Holy See Dicastery for Culture and Education in collaboration with the National Committee for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The event will take place in view of the Jubilee and the great feast of 2026, anniversary of the Saint’s death.
It will be divided into four significant moments:
- Seminar meeting reserved to poets, at the premises of the Dicastery for Culture and Education in the Vatican in the morning of 2 December. In an atmosphere of collaboration and intellectual exchange, the poets will be invited to reflect on the message of the Canticle and to discuss the role of poetry in promoting peace and universal brotherhood. This segment will take place in a private context, stimulating the creation of new works inspired by Franciscan values.
- Public reading: the heart of the event will be an evening of poetry reading, open to the public, which will be held in the historic Roman church of San Francesco a Ripa at 17.00. Here the poets will share their works, created for the occasion or from their repertoire, exploring themes of nature, spirituality and human connection. The event will be an opportunity to join in a creative spirit of celebration and reflection.
- Visit to the Franciscan sites in Assisi: To conclude this meeting, on 3 December the poets will be invited to a pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Assisi. They will walk in the footsteps of Saint Francis, drawing inspiration from the places that gave rise to one of the most beloved works of the literary and spiritual tradition.
- Participation in Più Libri Più Liberi: On 4 December, at 12.00, in the Sala Elettra of La Nuvola Congress Hall in EUR, in the context of the National Small and Medium Publishing Fair in Rome, an open dialogue with the public will be held, with the participation of poets who have lived the experience of In the name of the Canticle.
The international meeting In the name of the Cancticle proposes to honour the legacy of Saint Francis, fostering dialogue on the poetic inspiration it has generated over time, traversing different cultures, faiths and traditions. Francis is a bridge of poetry and mysticism between the West and the East, an interpreter of the vocation of Italy and the middle ground that is the Mediterranean and which Europe could still be.
Creation viewed through his eyes is the sign of an “Altissimu”, which invites the human being to feel and see every creature as a friend, as a participant in a single great act of praise. Human beings, capable of forgiveness, qualify their presence in the world with this awareness and this care for life in all its forms. It is no coincidence that the quality that Francis impresses in human beings is their capacity to forgive, or rather to mark human, personal and civil relationships with a free act – as free as poetry – stepping out of the necessary laws of nature, of the sequences of the response to evil with evil that grieve the world and the lives of so many today.
For information: sanfrancesco800@governo.it and cantico2024@dce.va
