The Canticle of the creatures
by St. Francis of Assisi, 1225-1226
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing,
To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
800 Years to Today
800 years ago, in 1225, St. Francis of Assisi started to compose a poem, formed by the deep experiences and reflections of his life and connection to creation. St. Francis uttered a song, calling for God to be praised through all creatures. St. Francis reveals to all of us that we are in relationship with of brothers, sisters, and mother earth in creation and it is in relationship to creation that we can praise God. While the Canticle of the Creatures is 800 years old, the message and vision of the Canticle can be a great guide and inspiration to how we live our lives today. Humanity as a whole is failing to live out the Canticle as we pollute the earth and contribute to climate change, but if we all work together, we can transform our common home in the vision of the Canticle. Throughout the 800th Anniversary Celebration of the Canticle and beyond, Siena will be hosting events and service opportunities to be an agent of transformation in our current world. Check out a calendar of events below!
Logo by Lexi Randt '27
Check out these Upcoming events!
Earth's Cry, humanity's Call: Reimagining Economy for PEOPLE and planet
February 5, 2026: All Day Event in the Marcelle Athletic Complex, Siena University Campus
Check out the Symposium Webpage HERE!
Religion, Ecology, and the call to protect our common home
March 24, 2026: 7:00PM in the Sarazen Student Union, Siena University Campus
The Beatrice & Sidney Albert Interfaith Lecture Series Board, the Laudato SI' Center for Integral Ecology, and the Damietta Cross-Cultural Center are pleased to announce an evening discussion regarding the role of religion in promoting ecological awareness and engagement for the common good. A Muslim and a Christian scholar will discuss spiritual and ethical understandings from their respective traditions viewed through the lens of two documents: Al-Mizan (2024), and Laudato Si' (2015). The discussion will explore a perceived disconnect between the call to care for the environment (creation) present in the sacred texts, and an apparent failure by many religious believers to embrace this call.
Past Events
Care for Mother Earth: Linking INdigenous Wisdom with effective action
November 18th, 2025
Watch the recording here: Care for Mother Earth: Recording
Feast of St. Francis Mass
October 4, 2025: 4:30PM Great Room-SSU
Join us for the mass on the Feast of St. Francis as a great part of family weekend!
Transitus of St. Francis
October 3, 2025: 7:00PM, St. Mary of the Angels Chapel
Join us in celebration of the passing of St. Francis to eternal life. This year will incorporate a special recognition of the 800th anniversary celebration of the Canticle of the Creatures.
Real Impacts, Real People
September 16, 2025: 1:00-2:00PM on Nigro Plaza
Join the Laudato Si Center on the Nigro Plaza to for discussions and storytelling on how our planet is being impacted!
Paint aNd Sip-Expressions of the Canticle
September 11, 2025: 1:00PM-2:00PM on the Nigro Plaza
Join for the Weeks of Welcome and some time to create your own expressions of the Canticle!