杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The phrase 鈥淓verything is connected鈥� recurs often in 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� Encyclical, Laudato Sì.

During a unique ceremony in the Vatican Gardens on Friday, signs, symbols and songs, ensured that everything really was 鈥渃onnected鈥�.

Saint Francis and ecology

Starting with the timing: 4 October is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, which closes the 鈥淪eason of Creation鈥� that began on 1 September. This year also marks 40 years since 杏MAP导航 Saint John Paul II proclaimed St Francis Patron Saint 鈥渙f those who promote ecology鈥�. And, in just two days, the Synod for the Amazon will open, the first Synod ever to address the issue of integral ecology.

Organizers and participants

Then there were the participants: the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network, the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor, and the Global Catholic Climate Movement organized the event, while various religious congregations and representatives of the indigenous people of the Amazon Region played important roles in providing colour and creativity.

Signs and symbols

The ceremony culminated with the planting of a holm oak from Assisi. The name of the tree is believed to come from the old Anglo-Saxon word for 鈥渉olly鈥� 鈥� 鈥渉oly鈥�.

Even the soil in which the tree was planted came steeped in significance. There was soil from the Amazon, celebrating the wealth of the bioregion鈥檚 cultures and traditions; earth from India, representing countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis, where droughts and floods leave millions devastated; soil representing refugees and migrants, forced to leave their homes because of war, poverty, and ecological devastation. There was earth from places of human trafficking, and from sustainable development projects around the world. And there was more soil from the Amazon, earth bathed in the blood of those who have died fighting against its destruction.

The Canticle of the Creatures

But the tree also stands in soil coming from the places where Saint Francis walked, in and around Assisi: a place of encounter with the Creator, where the Saint composed the first part of his 鈥淐anticle of the Creatures鈥�. Written in the 13^th Century, it is believed to be one of the first works of literature in the Italian language.  A musical version of this prayer-poem accompanied the tree planting ceremony in the Vatican Gardens.

Celebrating the Season of Creation

The Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is Cardinal Peter Turkson. He too was present at the ceremony, and described how the 鈥淪eason of Creation鈥� is 鈥渘ot only a time for prophetic gestures鈥�but a time for wisdom鈥�, a season to respond to the ecological crisis鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� Message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation, said the Cardinal, suggests 鈥渁 time of change: humanity鈥檚 turning a new leaf to save the planet鈥�.