Francesco, il Santo (Francis, the Saint)

The city of Rieti, at the center of the beautiful and uncontaminated Valle Santa, serves as authentic testament to the important landmarks in the life of St. Francis, and in the history of the Franciscan Order and cult. The official written Canon in the Sanctuary of Fonte Colombo (labelled as the Franciscan Sinai); the representation of the first live Nativity in the Sanctuary of Greccio on Christmas Night, 1223; the austere and essential sacredness of the Cave of Poggio Bustone and the mystic peace of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Foresta. By way of the exhibit of Francesco, il Santo (Francis, the Saint), the Province of Lazio puts on display one of the key figures of Occidental mysticism and one of the most important protagonists in the history of Italian art. The objective is to promote understanding and awareness of the life and the icon of the Patron Saint of Assisi, and to highlight Rieti\'s significance in the history of Franciscanism. The event is divided into three different exhibit sites. In the first, the Civic Museum of Rieti, important examples of the image of St. Francis will go on show, including works by Cimabue and Margaritone d’Arezzo from the Medieval period, Antoniazzo Romano (his masterpiece is already present in the Museum) from the Renaissance, Correggio and Tiziano, Annibale Carracci and Pietro da Cortona, Tiepolo and Alessandro Magnasco respectively from the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries, Francesco Podesti and Domenico Morelli from the 19th Century, Duilio Cambellotti and Adolfo Wildt from the 20th, and finally, from the current century, an interpretation by Norberto and Mimmo Paladino. At the second site, the Salone del Palazzo Papale of the Curia of Rieti (host of the Diocesan Museum), sacred artworks honoring the Saint and deriving from the surrounding territory will be exhibited. The included paintings, sculptures, and precious vestments testify to the zone\'s reputation for high-quality artisanship. The San Giorgio Complex is the third site, with exposition spaces prepared by the Varrone Foundation for a collection of the most important documents referring to St. Francis and to Franciscanism as practiced in the territory of Rieti, from the 1200s up until present times. From / ITALIA website