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Primary sourceDocument1224

Chartula fratri Leonis

Francis of Assisi · 1224

A small parchment written in Francis of Assisi's own hand, bearing his praises of God and his blessing for Brother Leo.

This parchment is in Francis's own handwriting, a rare direct trace of his personal faith and his bond with Brother Leo.

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Photograph of a small, aged parchment sheet sealed in a metal-framed case. It has faded brown ink text in Latin with red headings, a large hand-drawn red and brown Tau cross with a figure-like sketch, and a few lines of writing at the bottom.
Chartula fratri Leonis, autograph parchment of Francis of Assisi, 1224. Upper Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi.

About this source

What it is

This parchment was written by Francis of Assisi on La Verna in 1224, after he received the stigmata. One side carries his Praises of God; the other holds a blessing for his close companion, Brother Leo, signed with a Tau cross. It is kept at the Upper Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi.

Why it matters

Very few documents survive that Francis wrote with his own hand, which makes this one especially precious to historians. It shows his personal relationship with Brother Leo and his habit of marking his writing with the Tau, a symbol he used often.

Look closer

  • What does it mean that this is one of the few pieces of writing we have in Francis's own handwriting?
  • Why might Francis have given this private note to one particular friar rather than to the whole order?
  • What can't a short blessing like this tell us about Francis's life as a whole?

This document 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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Primary source

Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi · 1226

Book

Secondary source

First Life of Saint Francis

Thomas of Celano · 1230

Gold-background panel painting in a gabled wooden frame. A standing robed friar with a halo holds a book and raises one hand, flanked by two angels above. Smaller framed scenes in the side panels show his life events in colorful architecture.Painting

Secondary source

Saint Francis of Assisi and Scenes of His Life

Bonaventura Berlinghieri · 1235

Aerial view of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on a hilltop, with its pink-toned stone walls, a tall bell tower, and a large sloping retaining wall. A parking area and winding road are below, with green valley and hills in the distance under a cloudy sky.Artifact

Secondary source

Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

begun 1228

Painted wooden crucifix on a cross-shaped panel with a red and gold border. Christ with open arms, eyes open, wearing a white loincloth, with small figures of saints and angels around him and a Latin inscription above his head.Painting

Primary source

San Damiano Cross

c. 1100

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