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Primary sourceBook1920

The Mirror of Perfection

Brother Leo · 1920

A 1920 edition of Brother Leo's memoir of Francis of Assisi, written by a companion who knew him personally.

Written by Francis's close companion Brother Leo, this memoir is a key primary account of his life and character.

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The Mirror of PerfectionPDF · 246 pages
Brother Leo, The Mirror of Perfection, 1920 edition.

About this source

What it is

This is a 1920 edition of the Mirror of Perfection, a memoir of Francis of Assisi attributed to Brother Leo, one of his close companions. The edition includes a preface by Father Cuthbert discussing the text's origins and purpose.

Why it matters

The preface explains that the Mirror of Perfection was written partly to argue for a particular view of how Franciscans should live, during a dispute within the order about whether to keep strict poverty or adapt to new circumstances. This makes it both a memoir of Francis and evidence of conflict among his followers after his death.

Look closer

  • Why might Brother Leo have written this account to support one side of a dispute within the order?
  • How might knowing the text's purpose change how you read its description of Francis?
  • What does this disagreement tell you about how Francis's followers interpreted his teachings differently?

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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