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Animal Rights History Timeline » [c485-1450] Medieval Ages » Saint Francis Assisi

Saint Francis Assisi

Thomas Celano, First Life of Saint Francis

Preaching to the Birds and the Obedience of Creatures

[1228-1229] Thomas of Celano, "Preaching to the Birds and the Obedience of Creatures," ch. 21 in The Life of Saint Francis reprinted in Francis of Assisi, Early Documents: The Saint (New York, New City Press: 1999; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks: Online Preview).

As…the blessed father Francis was traveling through the Spoleto valley, he reached a place near Bevegna, in which a great multitude of birds of different types gathered, including doves, crows, and others commonly called monaclae. When Francis, the most blessed servant of God, saw them, he ran swiftly toward them, leaving his companions on the road. He was a man of great fervor, feeling much sweetness and tenderness even toward lesser, irrational creatures. When he was already very close, seeing that they awaited him, he greeted them in his usual way. He was quite surprised, however, because the birds did not take flight, as they usually do. Filled with great joy, he humbly requested that they listen to the word of God.

Among many other things, he said to them: "My brother birds, you should greatly praise your Creator, and love Him always. He gave you feathers to wear, wings to fly, and whatever you need. God made you noble among His creatures and gave you a home in the purity of the air, so that, though you neither sow nor reap, He nevertheless protects and governs you without your least care." He himself, and those brothers who were with him, used to say that, at these words, the birds rejoiced in a wonderful way according to their nature. They stretched their necks, spread their wings, opened their beaks and looked at him. He passed through their midst, coming and going, touching their head and bodies with his tunic. Then he blessed them, and having made the sign of the cross, gave them permission to fly off to another place. The blessed father, however, went with his companion along their way rejoicing and giving thanks to God, Whom all creature revere by their devout confession.

He was already simple by grace, not by nature. After the birds had listened so reverently to the word of God, he began to accuse himself of negligence because he had not preached to them before. From that day on, he carefully exhorted all birds, all animals, all reptiles, and also insensible creatures, to praise and love the Creator, because daily, invoking the name of the Savior, he observed their obedience in his own experience. (Saint 234-5)

One day he came to a village called Alviano to preach the word of God. Going up to a higher place where all could see him, he called for silence. All remained silent and stood reverently. But a large number of swallows nesting there were shrieking and chirping. Since blessed Francis could not be heard by the people, he said to the noisy birds: "My sister swallows, now it is time for me to speak, since you have already said enough. Listen to the word of the Lord and stay quiet and calm until the word of the Lord is completed."Immediately those little birds fell silent…to the amazement and surprise of all present…and did not move from that place until the sermon was over. Those men who saw this sign were filled with great wonder, saying: Truly, this man is holy, and a friend of the Most High."

With great devotion they hurried to touch at least his clothes, while praising and blessing God. It was certainly a marvel that even irrational creatures recognized his feeling of tenderness towards them, and sensed the sweetness of his love.

Once while he was staying near the town of Greccio, a certain brother brought him a live rabbit caught in a trop. Seeing it, the most blessed man was moved with tenderness. "Brother rabbit," he said, "come to me. Why did you let yourself get caught?" As soon as the brother holding it let go, the rabbit, without any prompting, took shelter with the holy man, as in a most secure place, resting in his bosom. After it had rested there for a little while, the holy father, caressing it with motherly affection, let it go, so that now free it would return to the woods. As often as it was put on the ground, it rushed back to the holy man's lap, so he told the bothers to carry it away to the nearby forest. Something similar happened with another little rabbit, a wild one, when he was on the island in the Lake of Perugia.

He has the same tender feeling toward fish. When he had the chance he would throw back into the water live fish that had been recently caught, and he warned them to e careful not to be caught again. One time while he was sitting in a little boar at the port on the Lake of Rieti, a fisherman caught a large fish, commonly called a tinca, and reverently offered it to him. He accepted it gladly and gratefully, calling it "brother." He put it back in the water next to the little boat, and with devotion blessed the mane of the Lord. For some time that fish did not leave the spot but stayed next to the boat, playing in the water where he put it until, at the end of his prayer, the holy man of God gave it permission to leave. (Saint 235-6)

Thus the glorious father Francis
walking in the way of obedience,
and embracing the yoke of complete submission to God,
was worthy of the great honor before God
of having the obedience of creatures.

Water was changed into wine for once at the hermitage of Saint Urbano when he was suffering from a severe illness. Once he tasted it, he recovered so easily that everyone believed it was a divine miracle, as it indeed was

He is truly a saint,
whom creatures obey in this way:
at his wish
they very elements convert themselves
to other uses. (Saint, 236-7)