Frate Francesco. Friar Francis

For eight centuries, the presence and influence of Francis's life and deeds have made themselves felt in the history of Christianity and in that of the rest of humanity too. Published on the occasion of the exhibition Friar Francis: Traces, Words, Images staged at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, a place that hosts a variety of cultural experiences every day and that is itself a symbol of peace, the volume is a tribute to the figure of Francis, an extraordinary man and saint. This book provides a rare occasion of great scientific and cultural value, allowing readers to approach and get to know Francis through ancient and unique manuscripts coming from the Library of the Sacro Convento di San Francesco in Assisi.

These manuscripts are the oldest papal records and documents directly concerning the person of the saint from Assisi: his writings, his life, and the development of the religious order he founded. The book is divided into three sections: Traces, Words, Images.

The Traces are the ones left by Francis at the level of official documentation, in the papal records and some notarial deeds. Alongside these is presented the most famous and authoritative of the manuscripts in Assisi, the Codex 338, which comprises the oldest collection of the saint's writings.

The Words section contains some copies of the oldest biographies, the hagiographic legendae of the saint.

The Images section offers a selection of illuminated manuscripts in which the saint of Assisi is represented, providing precious examples of some of the principal traditional iconographic models.