Celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Canticle in Chile

On Wednesday, the 27th August 2025, the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures of St. Francis was celebrated at the Fray Luis Olivares Molina OFM Library of the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV) in Chile.

The event, which was attended by University Professors, students and members of the Franciscan fraternity, aimed to highlight the spiritual, cultural and academic significance of this universal hymn to creation.

Also present was the Vice-Grand Chancellor of the PUCV, Fr. Cristián Eichin Molina OFM, who in his speech stressed that the Canticle "reminds us that the Catholic university is a place where science and faith dialogue, where the contemplation of creation inspires an integral education committed to the care of the common home." Returning to St. Bonaventure and his Itinerary from the Mind to God, he highlighted how the first steps of this spiritual path pass through recognizing God in the vestiges of creation: creatures as mirrors of the Creator, senses and understanding as paths to ultimate truth, and order and numbers as traces that reveal divine harmony in the universe. This vision, he pointed out, offers university life a framework that integrates scientific research with contemplation and spirituality.

One of the central moments was the presentation of the icon of the Canticle of the Creatures, the work of the theologian and iconographer Francisco Aguirre, professor of the faculty of theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. This icon was painted with the traditional technique of egg and gold leaf painting typical of Byzantine icons. It integrates elements of the Franciscan tradition, particularly the image of St. Francis of Assisi that shows his wounds and the environment that refers to the song of the creatures. In addition, in a very lucid way it dialogues with culture and art in Chile: the small blue bird on the shoulder of San Francisco recalls a work by Violeta Parra, a famous Chilean artist.

Fr. Julio Campos, OFM, shared a reflection from the charism of the content of the Canticle. In his presentation, Br Julio delved into the vital context in which the Canticle was born: the loneliness, illness and contemplative experience of St. Francis in San Damiano around 1225, when he transformed suffering into a source of praise. He explained that the canticle is the fruit of the original experience of God as love, which is expressed in a language of fraternity and in a new way of inhabiting the world. He underlined the Franciscan vision of the human being as a pilgrim in search of the face of God, whose prayer and contemplation lead to praise and restitution of the love received. "The Canticle," he said, "is light in the midst of suffering, a revelation that turns darkness into hymn and fragility into fraternity."

The aesthetic and spiritual dimension was completed with the musical performance of the Soloists of the PUCV Chamber Orchestra, who offered a repertoire of classical pieces that included the Divertimento in F major, K. 138: I. Allegro by W. A. Mozart, Gabriel's Oboe by Ennio Morricone and La Primavera by Antonio Vivaldi.

The event was part of the collaboration between the PUCV, the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and the Franciscan Fraternity of Valparaíso, reinforcing the importance of Franciscan spirituality in the academic and cultural life of the local Church.

The event concluded with a call to continue deepening the spirituality of care, contemplation and universal fraternity, so necessary in the current context of socio-environmental crisis.