St. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) viewed all of creation as interconnected through a shared Creator, calling natural elements and creatures “brother” or “sister”. His spirituality saw the material world not merely as resources to be used, but as a “joyful mystery” that reveals a Universal and Loving Divine presence. By cultivating a profound sense of kinship with all life, St. Francis anticipated modern ecological consciousness by over 800 years.

St. Francis was afire with love and passion for all of creation as evidenced in his historical journey across the battlefield of the Fifth Crusade in Damietta, where he met with Sultan al Kamil in order to promote peace and they parted on brotherly good terms. Francis’ writings from then on frequently refer to the value of peace-making.

In 2019 Pope Francis, following his namesake, met with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayab, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, in the United Arab Emirates: they signed a declaration of human fraternity and respect as a gesture of goodwill. Saint Francis’ promotion of ringing the Angelus bells three times daily across Europe, to encourage the faithful to pause for prayer, was inspired by his experience of the adhan (the Islamic Call to Prayer).