Saint Francis embracing Christ

Murillo transmits the sincere expression of the religious sentiment of love for Chris, the basis of Franciscan spirituality, with great delicacy and a tactile quality. It represents a fundamental moment in the life of the saint: the instant in which he renounces material goods, represented by the globe that touches his feet, separating them from himself in order to consecrate himself to religious life and dedicate himself to his neighbour. This episode alludes to the evangelical passage (Luke 14: 33) of the book which the two angels on the right hold: «Qui non renunciat omnibus qui possidet non potes meus esse discipulus» (Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.). Jesus releases one of his arms in order to comfort Saint Francis.