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Secondary sourceDocumentfirst published December 1912

Prayer of Saint Francis

Unknown (possibly Esther Bouquerel) · first published December 1912

A famous peace prayer long attributed to Francis of Assisi, though it actually first appeared in a French magazine in 1912, centuries after his death.

This prayer is wrongly attributed to Francis; it illustrates how his later reputation generated misattributed texts.

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Close-up of a band of German gothic-style calligraphy on a pale wall, reading in part 'Herr, mach mich zum Werkzeug deines Friedens: dass ich Liebe bringe, wo man sich hasst, dass ich' with a blue-grey surface below.
Prayer of Saint Francis, inscribed in German, Franziskuskapelle Attaching. Text first published 1912, not written by Francis.

About this source

What it is

This is the text known as the 'Prayer of Saint Francis' or 'Make me an instrument of your peace.' It first appeared anonymously in a small French Catholic magazine called La Clochette in 1912, possibly written by its editor, Father Esther Bouquerel. The image shown here is a photograph of the prayer carved in German on a chapel wall.

Why it matters

The prayer became extremely popular in the twentieth century, especially during the World Wars, and has been set to music and quoted by many leaders. But scholars, including church historians, agree it is not by Francis: it does not appear in any of his writings, and its focus on 'I' and 'me' does not match his style. It shows how a beloved historical figure can attract words that were never really theirs.

Look closer

  • Why might people want to connect this prayer to Francis, even without evidence?
  • What does the German inscription tell you about how widely this text travelled?
  • How can historians tell that a text is not written by the person it's credited to?

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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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.Book

Primary source

Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi · 1226

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.Document

Primary source

Chartula fratri Leonis

Francis of Assisi · 1224

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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

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