ASSIGNMENT ONE, FRANCISCAN SOURCES CFS, DECEMBER 2010

Answer to question one:
Hagiography is from two Greek words Hagios which means holy or saint and graphy which means writing. Therefore, the word Hagiography means the writing on holy people. In catholic tradition, it is the writing of a saint's live, a study of a saint life. It does not necessarily attempt to give full details, historical account of the life of an individual saint. Rather, it is written so that their life can be an inspiration to people. It is written so that their life can have a salvific effect on people. It is also written so that people can also reflect on the outcome of their life, helps strengthen people's faith. Finally, Hagiography helps us to see the saints as a mirror for us to imitate.
Legend is from the Latin word legenda which means something to be read about the life a saint. The Catholic church sees that this person has done something worth worthy therefore it has to be written for everybody because the life of the person worth to imitate. It is written down so that those who have not heard about the person's life can know something about him/her too. So that everyone will see them as a mirror to imitate, role model and as a inspirator. It is written also in order to be read during the feast day or name day of the saint. These are read during holy hour, at meal time The purpose of reading the life of a saint is for edification.
Testament is something someone writes as a wish to follow before he/she dies. It reflects the experience, their thoughts, intentions of the person and what he/she wants the people to follow and do. Francis of Assisi wrote his testament two years before he died. He wrote it in agony while he was ill. It is a reminder, admonition, exhortation for his brothers and sisters to follow.
Official Franciscan sources are the historical sources for the life and person of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare and the early Friars and Sisters of the Franciscan Order. Some of these sources can be found in the early documents such as Francis of Assisi volumes I, II,&III and Clare of Assisi (the Lady).

The Text of these volumes contain the early life of St. Francis, his conversion, work and death. The history of the Franciscan documents, the origin of the order and some Papal documents.
The First is called the saint which contains writings of St. Francis. It presents us with an understanding of the early Franciscan tradition and the Order St. Francis initiated.
The second volume is called the founder which contains the development of the Order and the life of the Friars. Their way of life and the role they played in the Church.
Third volume is called the prophet. It contains the different events that had happened within the Order that made some people to think that the Friars have betrayed the Spirit of Francis.
Francis Mirror of Perfection: This presents Francis as example of virtue to imitate. It helps us to see him as a perfect imitator of Christ. He is seen as the light to purify our life. Francis mirror of perfection show us what we are and what we ought to be and helps us to examine our life. It invites us to scrutinize and amend our life. We look at Francis as mirror in order to live a perfect life. Answer to question two:
Letters: Letter to all the Faithful, letter to all Clerics, letter to the rulers of the people. Letter to Brother Leo.
Poetry: Praises of God, the canticle of creature, the praises of the virtues, the praises before the office.
Allegory: The sacred exchange between St. Francis and Lady poverty.
Legend: The legend for use in the choir by Thomas of Celano, the legend of the three companions, major and minor legend by Bonaventure.
Prayer: Prayer inspired by our father, office of the passion, a prayer before the crucifix.
Answer to question three Mira Circa nos.
Mira Circa nos is a papal document of Pope Gregory IX. It is an official document presented on the

day Francis of Assisi was proclaimed a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church. This document was given on the 19th day of July in the year 1228 in Perguia. This document is valuable and important to us because in it Pope adopted some images to present to the world who Francis of Assisi was and he wanted people to have these different images in mind. So that they will help us to know Francis better and be able to imitate the Saint. There is no doubt that these different images may be different from the images of Francis that we have or know. Some of the images presented in the text by the Pope are:
Francis was presented in the text as a cultivator who God sent at the eleventh hour to remove anything that may stop the vineyard from growing. This image helps us to know the significant of Francis' vocation. He was raised during this period by God to reform and rebuild the Church. Francis was called at the time the church was in ruin, the poor were oppressed and different heretical movement attacking the Church. But through the grace and help of God he was able to defend the Church and the people through his life of the Gospel. Another description of Francis that one may get from this text is that Francis was described as a missionary just like the way Abraham was called by God to live his country. This also shows us that Francis left behind his parents, house and even all his riches and became poor for Christ sake. He moved from place to place, preaching Christ by words and examples to people. Furthermore, Francis was described as a lamp who God showed to the whole world to give consolation light to the people. He was described as beloved son of God, a sacrificial lamb, a servant, upholder of the Church teachings. And Pope affirms that Francis was a close friend on earth. This shows that he knew Francis very well. All these characteristics in Francis as described by Pope Gregory IX show how God raised Francis in his time for a specific mission. Finally, in this text Pope gives the date of when his feast day will be celebrated, that is every 4th October. This date was chosen because that was the very day Francis died. The Pope exhorts

everyone to spread the message, to honour the feast day, and continue to ask for his intercession. It is an important document to uphold because it helps us to see Francis from another perspective that the Church see it apart from ours. It informs us of the significant of St. Francis of Assisi 's canonisation and the authenticity of the date of his death and feast day Answer to question four
Differences:
The heading for each text is different. In IC, the heading is written as how, when he had changed his habit, he rebuilt the Church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula and how, when he had heard the Gospel and left behind everything, he designed and made the habit worn by the brothers.
L3C, is written as Hearing and understanding the counsels of Christ in the Gospel, he immediately changed his external garb and put on a new habit of internal and external perfection.
While LM is written as the founding of the Religion and the approved of the Rule.
Another difference also lies in the words used. In IC, the word Church was used but in others text there was no mentioned of this word. While L3C and LM use the word mass. They account that it was during the mass he heard the gospel.
LM did not account that Francis sought understanding of the Gospel from the priest while other texts account for this.
LM account that Francis that when Francis understood the Gospel message, it became the form of life for him and his brother their as their form of life. (rule of life).Other texts see it as this leading him to changed to his Religious habit.
In the opening phrase of LM, it accounts that Francis sought the intercession of blessed virgin Mary but the other text did not say precisely.
Similarities:
There is similarity in the message of the contents of the texts. They convey the same message, how

Francis of Assisi heard the Gospel and immediately follow in the footsteps of Christ.
In the three text Francis was able to take action by changing his habit to his Religious habit.
The three text also account that he went to the Church in order to understand better what his form of life should be.
The three text use the same citation from the Gospel of Mathew 10: 9-10.
Significant of the differences found in the texts:
These differences are significant because each gives account from their own perspectives and how they saw Francis. They were also influences by their different encounter of Francis of Assisi. Each wrote this account of the life of St Francis so that it can make a such remarkable impression on people in order to imitate him.
The importance:
It gives the systematic historical account of how the Rule come to being. LM accounts that Francis directed all his heart's desire to carry out what he had heard and to conform in every way to the Rule of right living given to the Apostles. This helps us to know about how the First Rule of St. Francis of Assisi was institutionalized which was based on the Gospel he heard. It helps the Franciscans therefore to trace the Rule back to its original source and root which can be seen in LM chapter 3:1. It also helps us know how Francis began the Order and the history behind the wearing of the Habit. It helps us to know how significant blessed Virgin Mary was to St. Francis. He begged Mary to advocate for him in order to know the form of life to follow.