A Study of the Breviary of St Francis
Published : 01/29/2021 14:39:19
Categories : News
One cannot fail to recognise that, in a certain sense, Francis of Assisi has had an enviable fortune compared to other saints: declared in 1992 by Time Magazine as one of the most representative men of the second millennium, studied by university research centres, both secular and not, countless scientific and popular publications concerning his story, several films dedicated to him, recognised as an ideal reference by people of different cultures and religions.
On this subject, our Monumenta Studia Instrumenta Liturgica series has been enriched by a new volume entitled "Breviarium Sancti Francisci. Un manoscritto tra liturgia e santità". The author, Pietro Messa, friar minor and professor of the History of Franciscanism at the Pontifical Antonianum University in Rome, studies the breviary of St Francis, a precious tool for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of the message and the themes of the thought of the Saint of Assisi.
The codex, called "Breviarium Sancti Francisci", basically consists of a breviary, the psalter and the evangeliary. The first part is the most substantial and is the breviary of the Roman Curia reformed by Innocent III. The antiquity of the text, which makes it a privileged witness to this reform and thus to the history of liturgical books in general, is confirmed by the presence, especially on Marian solemnities or those of saints linked to the papal ministry, such as Peter, Paul and Gregory the Great, of readings taken from the sermons of Innocent III himself. These readings were made optional after his death in 1216 by his successor, Pope Honorius III, and immediately afterwards disappeared from the breviary. In fact, the Breviary of St Francis is the only proper breviary that contains such readings in full. This codex was used by Francis and certainly helped to form in him an albeit rudimentary theological culture that enabled him to express his spirituality and thought in some writings, some of which are still in our possession in autograph form: the Praises of God Most High, the Blessing and the Letter to Brother Leo.
