ST FRANCIS, PATRON OF THOSE WHO PROMOTE ECOLOGY

  Summary of the Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II,

Inter sanctos, 29 November 1979.

  Among the holy and admirable men who have revered nature as a wonderful gift of God to the human race, St Francis of Assisi deserves special consideration. For he, in a special way, deeply sensed the universal works of the Creator and, filled with a certain divine spirit, sang that very beautiful "Canticle of the Creatures". Through them, Brother Sun most powerful and Sister Moon and the stars of heaven, he offered fitting praise, glory, honour and all blessing to the most high, all-powerful, good Lord.

For that reason, Cardinal Silvio Oddi requested from this Apostolic See that St Francis of Assisi be proclaimed Patron before God of those who promote ecology.

Therefore, we proclaim St Francis of Assisi heavenly Patron of those who promote ecology.

Given at St Peter's, Rome, under the Fisherman's ring, on the twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-nine, the second year of our Pontificate.

(seal of John Paul II)

(signed) Augustine Card. Casaroli

Secretariat of State

   

ORIGINAL TEXT IN LATIN

 Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II, Inter sanctos,  29 November 1979, in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 71 [1979], 1509f., also in Acta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum, An. XCIX Fasc. I-II, Ianuarii-Aprilis 1980, p. 24.

 IOANNES PAULUS PP. II

  Ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

  Inter sanctos praeclarosque viros qui rerum naturam veluti mirificum donum a Deo humano generi datum coluerunt, Sanctus Franciscus Assisiensis merito recensetur. Namque universa Conditoris opera singulariter ille persensit ac, divino quodam spiritu inflatus, pulcherrimum illud cecinit “Creaturarum Canticum” per quas, fratrem solem potissimum ac sororem lunam caelique Stellas, altissimo, omnipotenti bonoque Domino debitam tribuit laudem, gloriam, honourem et omnem benedictionem. Per opportuno igitur consilio Venerabilis Frater Noster Silvius S. R. E. Cardinalis Oddi, Sacrae Congregationis pro Clericis Praefectus, nomine prae‑ sertim sodalium Consociationis Internationalis vulgo “Planning environmental and ecological Institute for quality life” nuncupatae, petivit ab hac Apostolica Sede ut Sanctus Franciscus Assisiensis Patronus apud Deum oecologiae cultorum ediceretur. Nos quidem de sententia Sacrae Congregationis pro Sacramentis et Cultu Divino, harum Litterarum vi perpetuumque in modum, Sanctum Franciscum Assisiensem oecologiae cultorum Patronum caelestem renuntiamus, omnibus adiectis honouribus congruisque liturgicis privilegiis. Contrariis quibusvis non obstantibus. Haec edicimus, decernentes praesentes Litteras religiose servari suosque effectus sive nunc sive in posterum habere. Datum Romae, apud Sanctum Petrum, sub anulo Piscatoris, die undetricesimo mensis Novembris, anno Domini millesimo nongentesimo septuagesimo nono, Pontificatus Nostri secundo.

  AUGUSTINUS Card. CASAROLI

a Publicis Ecclesiae Negotiis

Loco + Sigilli

  FULL TRANSLATION OF LATIN TEXT

  POPE JOHN PAUL II

as a perpetual memorial

  Among the holy and admirable men who have revered nature as a wonderful gift of God to the human race, St Francis of Assisi deserves special consideration.  For he, in a special way, deeply sensed the universal works of the Creator and, filled with a certain divine spirit, sang that very beautiful "Canticle of the Creatures".  Through them, Brother Sun most powerful and Sister Moon and the stars of heaven, he offered fitting praise, glory, honour and all blessing to the most high, all-powerful, good Lord.

 Therefore, taking opportune counsel, Our Venerable Brother, Cardinal Silvio Oddi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Clerics, on special behalf of the members of the International Association popularly called "Planning Environmental and Ecological Institute for Quality of Life", requested from this Apostolic See that St Francis of Assisi be proclaimed Patron before God of those who promote ecology.

Following the opinion of the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, and by force of these letters and in perpetuity, We proclaim St Francis of Assisi heavenly Patron of those who promote ecology, adding all appropriate honours and liturgical privileges, anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

We declare that these present definitive letters be religiously observed, and that they are to have their effects both now and in the future.

Given at St Peter's, Rome, under the Fisherman's ring, on the twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-nine, the second year of our Pontificate.

(seal of John Paul II)

(signed) Augustine Card. Casaroli

Secretariat of State