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saint_francis [2008-10-16 10:07] – 81.188.78.24 | saint_francis [2008-10-16 15:46] – theunkarelse | ||
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+ | ==== Saint Francis on Gardening ==== | ||
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+ | * [[reading notes]]: //The Garden of Saint Francis; plants, landscape and economy in 13-th century Italy// | ||
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+ | 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. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | In addition to the suggestion that monks with gardens had escaped from | ||
+ | secular society to live self-sufficiently off the fruits of their own labours, gardens | ||
+ | in religious texts also had theological significance that we cannot ignore. As | ||
+ | symbols of Eden,.. | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Monasteries followed in this tradition with very practical and humble crops. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | ...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. Poeple, animals and plants were free to pass through the garden. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | 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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+ | Francis also opposed the strictly utilitarian garden. He advocated the very unusual idea of a wildflower bed in the garden, just for the scent. Flowergardens were seen only in the gardens of the very rich merchants. For Francis all plants were equal and the concept of weeds did not exist. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | Francis' | ||
+ | they might.....For Francis, the greenness of the invading grass and the beauty of the self-seeding wildflowers forcefully contribute to his belief in the equality and praiseworthiness of all of earth' | ||
+ | </ | ||
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+ | Thomas de Celano paints a picture of a Saint politically moving against economic forces. | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | The landscape that Thomas shows him (Francis red.) gazing upon, especially its fields and vineyards, betrays the unmistakable marks of human cultivation, | ||
+ | </ | ||
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==== Saint Francis of Assisi ==== | ==== Saint Francis of Assisi ==== | ||
- | 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 massive commercial revolution. Business was challenging the state and the religious system. People were catholics | + | In the time of Francis Europe was going through a massive commercial revolution. Business was challenging the state and the religious system. People were Catholics |
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More on Saint Francis as a patron saint of ecology, in the last paragraph on this page: | More on Saint Francis as a patron saint of ecology, in the last paragraph on this page: | ||
http:// | http:// | ||
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- | === Saint Francis on Gardening === | ||
- | |||
- | * 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. Monasteries followed in this tradition with very practicle and humble crops. | ||
- | "In addition to the suggestion that monks with gardens had escaped from | ||
- | secular society to live self-sufficiently off the fruits of their own labors, gardens | ||
- | in religious texts also had theological significance that we cannot ignore. As | ||
- | symbols of Eden, | ||
- | 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 was to be no |