On Friday, the 6th June, in the Provincial Definitory of the Franciscan Friars of Chile – Province of the Most Holy Trinity – held at the Fraternity of San Francisco de la Alameda, an icon of St. Francis of Assisi was blessed, made by Federico Aguirre, iconographer and associate professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University. The work will be exhibited in different parts of Chile in the context of the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures and the tenth anniversary of the promulgation of the Encyclical Laudato Si'.
For Br. Julio Campos, OFM, Animator of the Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Franciscan Order in Chile, it is very important to enhance the figure of St. Francis through an icon and a pilgrimage with his image. "In the year in which we celebrate the 800th anniversary of the writing of the Canticle of the Creatures, it is extremely appropriate to encourage a more sustainable life based on an ethic of care for our Common Home," he said.
Therefore, the pilgrimage of this work seeks to reach different pastoral and academic spheres. In the words of Br. Julio, he hopes to visit Franciscan convents and universities such as the Pontifical Catholic University, the Catholic University of Temuco, the Alberto Hurtado University "and other universities that welcome our invitation to spread a message of care for our Common Home," he explained.
In this line, the JPIC animator in Chile is clear: "The fact of celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures and the tenth anniversary of the promulgation of the Encyclical Laudato Si', more than making history, means making the message contained in this poem and in this encyclical current. It is about creating an installation that is relevant to the world and that allows itself to be surprised by the traces of God present in creation," he said.
Bond of faith
For Federico Aguirre, the author of the work, the process of creating an icon is about contact with Franciscan spirituality: "In a way, I become part of that common heritage, and it is a very beautiful thing, because you get in touch with the community, you get in touch with the figure of St. Francis and his work. So it was very significant for the relevance that this saint had in evangelization, especially in Latin America."
The artist then added: “It is an order that attracts me a lot, precisely because of these principles of humility and connection with nature, with animals. I believe that St. Francis is a wonderful figure for our time, deeply marked by a mystical experience, and in the case of the Order and the figure of St. Francis, I am particularly attracted to him.”
Work for Evangelization
Finally, Br. Julio Campos, OFM, JPIC Animator in Chile, concluded: "Today, speaking of an ethics of familiarity, an ethics that integrates everyone as brothers and sisters, is an evangelical journey to seek paths of justice, peace and care for our Common Home. To speak of Jesus is to speak of the Kingdom, as a reality present here and now, of which we await the fullness." For his part, Federico Aguirre also praised the work of Friar Andresito, a figure who perfectly embodies the Franciscan spirit, “because he stands on the edge of the city to help and accompany the most needy. For me, the Franciscan church of Recoleta represents the closeness of St. Francis to the weakest.”
The work
The icon of St. Francis is made with the traditional “egg tempera: technique, used from the origins of painting to the Renaissance. It measures 70 x 50 cm and its frames feature drawings depicting the Canticle of the Creatures, "which depicts all those forces and figures of nature in which St. Francis recognizes a brother or sister," explained Federico Aguirre. It also features gold on the halo surrounding the head of the Poverello of Assisi: "I like to incorporate local elements, such as a bird on the shoulder, which I took from a work by Violeta Parra, where this bird is said to be a friend of St. Francis, accompanying him in the joyful pain of the stigmata," said the artist and professor.
