St Francis

The Flowers of St. Francis consists of a series of modest vignettes (based on the 14th century book Little Flowers of St. Francis) which relate the life and work of St. Francis of Assisi and the early Franciscans, all of whom are portrayed by actual monks (a total of thirteen in the cast); with the exception of Aldo Fabrizi in a small supporting role, the entire cast is non-professional.

In a series of simple and joyous vignettes, director Roberto Rossellini and co-writer Federico Fellini lovingly convey the universal teachings of the People’s Saint: humility, compassion, faith, and sacrifice. Gorgeously photographed to evoke the medieval paintings of Saint Francis’s time, and cast with monks from the Nocera Inferiore Monastery, The Flowers of St. Francis is a timeless and moving portrait of the search for spiritual enlightenment.

How did a thirteenth-century Italian friar become one of the best-loved saints in America?

Spend a month in the company of St Francis, with sixty-two reflections to enrich your mornings and evenings.