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* [[reading notes]]: //The Garden of Saint Francis; plants, landscape and economy in 13-th century Italy// | * [[reading notes]]: //The Garden of Saint Francis; plants, landscape and economy in 13-th century Italy// | ||
- | Many of the Early Desert Hermit Saints had a small simple garden-patch next to their caves, as symbols of self-sufficiency and their escape from secular society. | + | Many of the Early Desert Hermit Saints had a small simple garden-patch next to their caves. |
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In addition to the suggestion that monks with gardens had escaped from | In addition to the suggestion that monks with gardens had escaped from | ||
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- | Monasteries followed in this tradition with very practical and humble | + | Monasteries followed in this tradition with very practical and straightforward |
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...the typical vegetables, generally associated with humility, included cabbage, leeks, beans, garlic, onions, turnips, and radishes, with whatever else might be necessary in the infirmary. | ...the typical vegetables, generally associated with humility, included cabbage, leeks, beans, garlic, onions, turnips, and radishes, with whatever else might be necessary in the infirmary. | ||
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- | The garden as a concept seems to contradict the Franciscan notions of ownership. Thomas of Celano, writer of the first biography of the saint explains: Saint Francis had very unusual gardening advice. He thought there should be no ditches or fences around a garden, because this denotes private ownership. There should be nothing to mark the difference between the garden and surroundings. | + | The garden as a concept seems to contradict the Franciscan notions of ownership. Thomas of Celano, writer of the first biography of the saint explains: Saint Francis had very unusual gardening advice. He thought there should be no ditches or fences around a garden, because this denotes private ownership. There should be nothing to mark the difference between the garden and surroundings. |
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In addition, the unditched borders diminish the sense that the garden is a private possession being managed by a proprietary overseer. It is instructive to note here that one of the most common garden motifs in hagiographical literature relates to saints and holy men who, by supernatural means, prevent intruders from entering their enclosed gardens and stealing their vegetables. For example, St. Felix' | In addition, the unditched borders diminish the sense that the garden is a private possession being managed by a proprietary overseer. It is instructive to note here that one of the most common garden motifs in hagiographical literature relates to saints and holy men who, by supernatural means, prevent intruders from entering their enclosed gardens and stealing their vegetables. For example, St. Felix' | ||
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When brother Francis wanted to say the name of Jesus, his biographer Thomas de Celano recounts, he would sometimes use the phrase 'child of Bethlehem' | When brother Francis wanted to say the name of Jesus, his biographer Thomas de Celano recounts, he would sometimes use the phrase 'child of Bethlehem' | ||
- | In the time of Francis Europe was going through a first wave of raw capitalism. Business was challenging the state and the religious system. Francis is recognized as the biggest religious genius Europe has ever produced. He has a great sense of PR. Francis went around the Italian countryside with an odd bunch of followers re-enacting the life of Jesus and his disciples. He had a vast media campaign including printed portraits, live animals and most powerful of all perhaps his Jack-Ass like stunts and controversial live events. These would include being dragged through the city behind a wagon, bringing live animals to mass, stripping naked on the market in front of high officials. He was a show-man, singer songwriter, performance artist, Jesus-impersonator[1], | + | In the time of Francis Europe was going through a first wave of raw capitalism. Business was challenging the state and the religious system. So that's the setting. Francis is recognized as the biggest religious genius Europe has ever produced. He has a great sense of PR. Francis went around the Italian countryside with an odd bunch of followers re-enacting the life of Jesus and his disciples. He had a vast media campaign including |
[1]The view of brother Francis as a hilarious Jesus impersonator and performance artist, has been put forward by the dutch writer Kees 't Hart, in a booklet about what he calls 'the disease that is admiration' | [1]The view of brother Francis as a hilarious Jesus impersonator and performance artist, has been put forward by the dutch writer Kees 't Hart, in a booklet about what he calls 'the disease that is admiration' | ||
- | More on Saint Francis as a patron saint of ecology, in the last paragraph on this page: | ||
- | http:// |