TRILOGY OF FRANCISCAN PEACE “the Canticle of the Creatures”

THE CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES, the poetic path
Assisi, CORTILE DI FRANCESCO 20 September 2025

As part of the extraordinary CORTILE DI FRANCESCO 2025 (COURTYARD OF FRANCIS 2025) event, organised to mark the eighth centenary of the creation of St Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures, a special event was held on Saturday 20 September at the Papal Basilica and Sacred Convent of St Francis in Assisi, organised by Ars Pace, Assisi Suono Sacro and Knights of Saint Francis, in collaboration with the Festa del Cantico di San Damiano.
For Ars Pace, this was the second event in the evocative three-year spiritual journey entitled “TRILOGY OF FRANCISCAN PEACE”, developed through the visual and performing arts in the spirit of St Francis, which was created specifically for the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis in 2026.
“Peace in the Canticle of the Creatures” follows on from the event organised in 2024 to commemorate “The Stigmata” at the Convent Library of Monteripido in Perugia and precedes next year’s final event, which will highlight Peace of Body and Soul.
At 3 p.m., in the Sala della Pace (Hall of Peace) of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi, Liliana Cavani’s film ‘Francesco’ was screened.
At 6 p.m., in the Press Room of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi, a conference entitled ‘THE CANTICLE OF THE CREATURES, the poietic path” was held, coordinated by the Director of the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent, Fra Giulio Cesareo, with contributions from the President of Ars Pace, Enrique Barón Crespo; Knights of Saint Francis Councillor Rossella Vasta; Ars Pace Scientific Committee President Anna Rüdeberg; and director Liliana Cavani, to whom Ars Pace presented the special ‘STELLA PACIS’ recognition.
The evening ended at 9:30 p.m. in the Lower Square of the Basilica of St. Francis with a concert “IL CANTICO DELLE CREATURE – THE SOUND OF PEACE” conceived by the President of Assisi Suono Sacro and Secretary of Ars Pace, the flautist Andrea Ceccomori.
Speakers included Fra Giulio Cesareo, poet Davide Rondoni, President of the National Committee dedicated to the eighth centenary of the death of St Francis, and Ars Pace Vice-President Monica Baldi, with an introductory greeting from Father Mauro Botti, Guardian of the Sanctuary of San Damiano, where Francis composed the Canticle of the Creatures.
Andrea Ceccomori performed with soprano Kay Boyte Moore and the Pax Orchestra composed of Maria Chiara Fiorucci, harp; Sayako Obori, violin; Terukazu Komatsu, violin; Madalina Isopescu, viola; and Ermanno Vallini, cello.
We would like to thank the friars of the Sacred Convent and Basilica of St Francis in Assisi, together with the qualified Staff, for the magnificent organisation of CORTILE DI FRANCESCO 2025, CINECITTÀ SPA and PAPPALARDO Furniture of Perugia.