From Saint Francis to San Francisco

This course focuses on the figure of Saint Francis and his impact on medieval literature and the contemporary world. The course will begin with extracts from several Franciscan biographies, analyzing the differences and the analogies. One of the main focuses will be on Francis' poverty and its relevance to Dante. More specifically, the course investigates how Comedy Dante's denunciations of avarice must be understood against the backdrop of the Franciscan virtue of poverty. Another focus will be the importance of Francis' contemplation of nature and how his legacy is crucial in today's world under the lenses of eco-theology. From Saint Francis to San Francisco will conclude by responding to a query inspired by a linguistic observation of American academia. In the USA, to identify Saint Augustine, they use only his first name, "Augustine," the same for Saint Thomas, who is identified as Aquinas. Yet, Saint Francis is Saint Francis, independent from the speaker's religious belief. This detail demonstrates Saint Francis¿ unique legacy and resonance in the modern era.