Franciscan Sources
These are the historical sources of for the life and person of St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Anthony and the other early friars and sisters of the Franciscan Order. The following is a list of documents on-line. A Discussion of the various historical sources in Spanish can be found at the Diccionario de las fuentes (BEBF). A current edition of these sources in print is Officina Franciscana: Testi, sinossi e indici delle fonti francescane con grafici, mappe e tabelle, di Daniele Solvi (edizione Sisimel)
Writings of St. Francis of Assisi
see the complete Internet Guide to St. Francis of Assisi
Writings of St. Clare of Assisi
see the complete Internet Guide to St. Clare of Assisi
Other Sources
Individual Documents in Chronological Order
The First Life of St. Francis by Bl. Thomas of Celano (1225-6 A.D.)
Excerpts in English, translated by David Burr
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: in Spanish
BEBF: in Spanish: Part I / Part II -- in Portuguese : Part I / Part II
Franciscaans Studiecentrum: Dutch (Zipped TXT)
The Legenda Versificata, by Henry de Avranches (c. 1228-29 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
The Life of St. Francis, by Friar Julian of Speyer, (c. 1232-5 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
The Office of St. Franics, by Friar Julian of Speyer, (c. 1235 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
The Anonymous of Perugia, c. 1240-1
On of the more important personal testimonies of St. Francis's life by an eye-witness
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: in Spanish
BEBF: Spanish / Portuguese
The Second Life of St. Francis by Bl. Thomas of Celano (1244-7 A.D.)
Having meditated on the holiness of St. Francis, Thoms of Celano writes a more organized life of the Poverello
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: in Spanish
BEBF: in Spanish : parte Iª / parte IIª – in Portuguese : Part I & II
Franciscaans Studiecentrum: Dutch (Zipped TXT)
The Chronicle of Friar Giordano de Giano, c. 1245
One of the most important histories of the early years of the Order
OFMCap-Br: Latin
OFM Val: in Spanish : nn. 1 -25 nn. 26-27
The Treatise on the Miracles of St. Francis by Bl. Thomas of Celano (1250-4
A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
BEBF: Spanish / Portuguese
The Life of St. Francis for Choir use by Bl. Thomas of Celano (post 1226 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
The Legend of the Three Companions, c. 1246 A. D.
One of the most important early sources, attributed to St. Francis’ 3 principle confreres
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: in Spanish
BEBF: Spanish / Portuguese
Franciscaans Studiecentrum: Dutch (Zipped TXT)
The Coming of the Friars to England, by Friar Thomas of Eccleston, c. 1250 A.D.
The best historical work of the Early Period, written by one of the first Friars of the English Province: an important source not only for the history of the Order, but for the history of England in the period.
OFMCap-Br: Latin
Sacrum Commercium, c. 1250-60 A.D.
The famous Allegorical Drama of the Spiritual Journey of St. Francis, cited by Angelo Clareno and Dante
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: Spanish
BEBF: Spanish
The Legend of St. Clare of Assisi, c. 1254 A.D.
Of unknown authorship, its compilation was a proximate cause for Bonaventure’s own more famous work.
OFM Val: Spanish
Legenda Minor, by St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio,(1260 A.D.)
A short life of St. Francis, for use in the Divine Office
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
BEBF: in Spanish
Franciscaans Studiecentrum: Dutch (Zipped TXT)
Legenda Major, by St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1263 A.D.)
After the General Chapter of 1266, the Official Biography of St. Francis in the Order: this is, of all the biographies, the most spiritually uplifting, and which accurately captures the importance of St. Francis for the whole of Christendom.
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
BEBF: in Spanish parte Iª / parte IIª / parte IIIª -- in Portuguese : Parts I, II & III
OFM Val: in Spanish
Franciscaans Studiecentrum: Dutch (Zipped TXT)
The Chronicle of Friar Salimbene di Parma, c. 1261
Certainly the most colorful and secular of all the early sources: a look at the Order from a friar who lied, wandered and gossiped his way from monastery to monastery of the Order, throughout Europe
OFMCap-Br: Portuguese
The Book of Praises of St. Francis, by Bernardo de Bessa, (c. 1263-78 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
The Legend of Perugia, c. 1310-12 A.D.
OFMCap-Br: Latin & Portuguese
OFM Val: Spanish
BEBF: Spanish
The Mirror of Perfection, c. 1310-20 A. D.
A collection of popular stories about St. Francis attributed to the Spirituals
OFMCap-Br: Latin / Portuguese
OFM Val: in Spanish
Legenda Assidua
The first biography of St. Anthony of Padua, a contemporary of St. Francis
Critical Edition, with Spanish Introduction by Virgilio Gambosa : Latin (BEBF)
Actus beati Francisci et sociorum eius, by Friar Hugolino de Santa Maria, (c. 1331-37 A.D.)
OFMCap-Br: Latin
The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi
A remarkable work of devotion and reminiscence, based on the Actus beati Francisci, has been reprinted in over 90 editions in the last 600 years, and is still in print today. Responsible for the conversion of many a wayward soul.
An Introduction to the Little Flowers by Archbishop Paschal Robinson, OFM, c/o CE
Introduccíon a Las "Florecillas de San Francisco" (BEBF)
First English Translation revised and emended by Dom Roger Hudleston, w. and Introduction by Arthur Livingston
English Texts and Files c/o CCEL.ORG -- in a variety of formats, including Audio and Palm Pilot
OFMCap.-Br: Italian & Portuguese
BEBF: in Spanish PARTE PRIMERA -- PARTE SEGUNDA
OFM Val : Spanish
Reprinted from San Francisco de Asís: Escritos. Biografías. Documentos de la época [ed. por José Antonio Guerra, o.f.m, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos (BAC 399), Madrid, 1998, 7ª edición (reimpresión), págs. 795-930.]
Contains, like the BEBF edition above the other 3 smaller works: Consideraciones sobre las llagas, la Vida de fray Junípero, e la Vida de fray Gil.
Other Texts commonly associated with the Little Flowers (and included often in English texts, c.f. above):
Considerations on the Stigmata
Modern Italian & Portuguese (OFMCap.-Br) / Spanish (BEBF)
The Life of Brother Juniper
Spanish (BEBF) / Medieval Italian (OFMCap.-Br)
The Life of Brother Giles
Spanish (BEBF) / Italian (OFMCap.-Br)
The Sayings of Brother Giles
Italian (OFMCap.-Br)
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A WWW Resource on St. Francis and Franciscanism
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