Initial G: The Stigmatization of St. Francis

While meditating on the Crucified Christ on Mount La Verna in Umbria, Saint Francis of Assisi became so enflamed with love and devotion that his body was transformed into the likeness of Christ. Enfolded in the wings of an angel, the Crucified Christ appeared to the saint, and his wounds (stigmata) appeared on Francis's body.

In this miniature, the craggy mountain is depicted as a series of slate-colored parallel planes. From the crevices of the mountain emerge stylized trees. At the lower right, the artist has shown a number of birds in order to recall the famous story of Saint Francis preaching to the birds. This leaf comes from a gradual, the choir book that contained all of the sung portions of the mass, where it introduced the text and music for the Feast of Saint Francis.