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Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi · 1226

An Umbrian-language hymn composed by Francis of Assisi near the end of his life, praising God through Brother Sun and Sister Moon.

Francis composed this hymn himself near the end of his life, making it a direct record of his own voice and beliefs.

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Manuscript page in Latin with black gothic script and red initial letter M and red-highlighted lines, with handwritten marginal notes on the right. The text includes 'Altissimu onnipotente bon signore' and 'Laudes creaturarum', consistent with the Canticle of the Sun.
Canticle of the Sun, composed by Francis of Assisi, 1226. Manuscript reproduction, Biblioteca del Sacro Convento di San Francesco, Assisi.

About this source

What it is

The Canticle of the Sun is a religious song composed by Francis of Assisi in 1226, near the end of his life. It was written in the Umbrian dialect of Italian and is considered the earliest known work of Italian literature with a named author. The surviving manuscript page shown here comes from a 13th-century codex held at the Sacro Convento in Assisi.

Why it matters

The Canticle shows Francis's personal theology: he thanks God for creation, calling fire, water, and even death "brother" and "sister". It reveals his rejection of material wealth in favour of simplicity, and it became a foundation stone of Italian poetry.

Look closer

  • Why might Francis have chosen to write in everyday Italian rather than Latin?
  • What does calling the sun, moon and death "brother" and "sister" tell you about how Francis saw the world?
  • What might be missing from a hymn written while someone is ill and near death?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Francis on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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