In the late spring
of 1225 suffering from severe inflammation of his eyes St Francis
couldn't stand sunlight and found it impossible to see by the glow
of a lamp or candle at night. Imprisoned in darkness, his pain was
so intense that he seldom rested or slept, and if he did drop off
was soon woken by the field mice which scampered all over him.
Shocked to discover he was giving way to self-pity he concentrated
harder on his prayers.
He is reputed to
have told the friars, 'God deigned to assure me, while I'm still
here in the flesh, that there will be a place for me later in
heaven. I therefore want to compose a song praising him and
thanking him for all his creatures on earth, because we cannot live
without them and we daily offend him by our lack of gratitude for
them.
This was his
song:
Most high,
almighty, good Lord,
Yours be the
praise, the glory, the honour and every blessing;
To you alone,
most high, do they belong
And no man is
worthy to utter your name.
Be praised, my
Lord, with all your creatures,
Especially Lord
Brother Sun,
To whom we owe
both day and light,
For he is
beautiful, radiant and of great splendour;
Of you, most
high, he is the emblem.
Be praised, my
Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
You have made
them in the heavens, bright, precious and
beautiful.
Be praised,
my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, Through
cloud, clear skies and all other weather By which ;you
give your creatures sustenance.
Be praised, my
Lord, through Sister Water, So very useful, humble, precious and
chaste.
Be praised, my
Lord, through Brother Fire,
By whom you
enlighten the night;
He is beautiful,
merry, robust and strong.
Be praised, my
Lord, through our sister, Mother Earth,
Who sustains and
looks after us,
Producing the
different fruits, coloured flowers and the grass.
The Canticle of
Brother Sun was composed in the Umbrian dialect, then
emerging with others from Latin into Italian. Some scholars say it
is the earliest poem in a modern European language to survive,
others that the original reveals great artistry not only in the
choice and arrangement of its images but also in the subtlety of
its rhythms.