From the 5th July -12th October, the Sanctuary of San Damiano, in Assisi, will host the exhibition of the artist Gino Covili entitled "The cry of the creatures", an event in the context of the celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures of St. Francis.
The cultural project is the result of the collaboration between the Covili family, closely linked to the sanctuary of San Damiano since when, in the 1990s of the twentieth century, Gino Covili started the pictorial cycle dedicated to the figure of St. Francis, and the fraternity of the Friars Minor of San Damiano, in particular to the guardian Br. Mauro Botti. For the scientific advice and the drafting of the texts, we thank Br. Saul Tambini, head of the cultural heritage of the Seraphic Province of St. Francis, and Dr. Donatella Vaccari, art historian and curator of the Porziuncola Museum.
The artist Gino Covili, a master in translating the complexity of the human condition and love for creation onto canvas, offers a visual reading that is intimately connected with Franciscan values. His works are not mere illustrations, but powerful expressions that convey messages of faith, hope and harmony, revealing their timeless relevance: a path to reflect on the indissoluble bond between humanity, nature and the divine, through the sensitive gaze of a great artist and the spirituality of the poor man-Poverello of Assisi.
The inaugural occasion offers the privilege of seeing the paintings of the cycle dedicated to the Canticle of the Creatures, which were presented for the first time in this sacred place. The inauguration will be held on the 5th July 2025 at 4.30 pm in the evocative Sala del Cantico-Hall of the Canticle; at 6.00 p.m. a guided tour of the works on display in the Galleria del Cantico-Gallery of the Canticle will be organized for those present. At 7.00 p.m. Vespers in the church with Eucharistic Adoration. At 8.00 pm, in the square in front of the sanctuary, the vocal ensemble Armoniosoincanto, directed by maestro Franco Radicchia, will offer a concert with the medieval lauds of the Laudario di Cortona (XIII Century) entitled: "Love in divine comfort".
The exhibition is sponsored by the Sanctuary of San Damiano and the National Committee for the Celebration of the Eighth Centenary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi.
For further details on the exhibition and the inaugural event: Gino Covili – The cry of the Creatures.
