Sermon on the Bird
The bird sermon is one of the most famous legends about Francis of Assisi .
Legend
“As he approached Bevagna , he came to a place where a great number of birds of various kinds had gathered: when the Holy One saw them, he ran hurriedly and greeted them as if they shared their reason. But they all awaited him and turned to him, so that those who were on the bushes bowed their heads as he approached them and directed themselves to him in an unusual manner, until he approached them and eagerly admonished them all to hear the word of God when he said: My brothers birds, you must praise your Creator very much, who clothed you with feathers and gave you the wings to fly; He assigned you the clear air and rules you without your having to worry ”. But when he told them this and the like, the birds began, wonderfully testifying to their joy, to stretch their necks, spread their wings, open their beaks and look attentively at him. But he himself walked right through her in a wonderful glow of spirit and touched her with his robe; and yet none moved from the place until he made the sign of the cross and gave them permission with the blessing of the Lord. Then they all flew away at the same time. All of this was seen by the comrades waiting on the way. ”(Quote from Henry Thode , Franz von Assisi, 4th edition 1936, p. 150).
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Postage stamp with graphics based on Giotto's original
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Contemporary theme of the legend in Franziskus-Marterl : Sermon in front of dead birds with the Wackersdorf reprocessing plant in the background
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Artistic representations
In the art world, the subject of the bird sermon was implemented in a variety of ways. In 1982, in the year of Franz von Assisi's 800th birthday, it became the motif of a postage stamp for the Deutsche Bundespost . Musically, Franz Liszt processed it in his Legend No. 1 St François d'Assise “La prédication aux oiseaux” . In his 2005 film Die Vogelpredigt or The Screaming of the Monks , director Clemens Klopfenstein demands that the actors perform the Vogelpredigt.
See also
- Fioretti : The little flowers of St. Francis are a Florilegium with 53 chapters on the life of Francis.
- Three companions legend of Francis of Assisi
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Bird Sermon of St. Francis ( University of Klagenfurt )
- ^ Marcy Goldberg: The Bird Sermon (Clemens Klopfenstein) . (cinemabuch.ch)