The Canticle Project
Rest your heart and feed your soul.
In honor of the 2026 Jubilee Year of Saint Francis, A Feast with Saint Francis celebrates his spiritual legacy through the Canticle of the Sun, bringing together sacred art, poetry, prayer, music, and the beauty of creation.
The Canticle Project began with a creative collaboration between Franciscan friar Fr. Norbert Siwinski, OFM Conv., and visual artist Ewa Krepsztul. Inspired by the Canticle of the Sun, their dialogue brought together twelve original egg-tempera paintings by Ewa and Father Norbert’s original poems and meditations as responses to St. Francis’ Song of Praise.
Father Norbert’s poems and meditations explore the relationships between the Creator and creation, between God and the human soul, and among all living things. His words reflect a spirituality of humility, gratitude, self-giving, and trust, inviting us to reflect on our place within creation and the relationships that shape our lives—with God, with one another, and with the world around us. They encourage us to give without possessing, to reflect rather than seek our own glory, and to discover how our lives and relationships can become a path toward peace and a song of praise.
Ewa’s paintings emerged from this same spiritual journey, translating words and reflections into color, light, and form. Through the luminous qualities of egg tempera, her work offers a visual meditation on the beauty of creation and the presence of God.
The Canticle Project is a song of praise, an invitation to contemplate the world through the spirit of Saint Francis and rediscover the beauty of God’s presence in all things.
The Canticle Book
The forthcoming Canticle Book brings together the Canticle of the Sun by Saint Francis of Assisi, Father Norbert’s original poetic response to the Canticle, Ewa’s twelve original paintings, and Father Norbert’s meditations inspired by the artworks. Together, these works invite readers into a contemplative journey, opening the heart to beauty, gratitude, and a deeper awareness of our relationship with God and one another.
The Pilgrimage
The Canticle Project is envisioned as a pilgrimage, bringing sacred art, poetry, and music into churches and communities, creating spaces for encounter, contemplation, and shared prayer. It hopes to reach those who long for Beauty, meaning, and a deeper connection with the sacred.
At its heart, the project celebrates human creativity as a gift from the Creator—a gift expressed through a pen, a brush, a voice, or the keys of a piano. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, it invites us to rediscover the personal, human act of creating and the relationships that give it meaning.
Through each gathering, the Canticle Project offers an invitation to slow down, listen, and rediscover the beauty that draws us closer to God and to one another.
To bring the Canticle Project to your parish or organization,
contact us through info@eviacordis.com.
The Canticle
for those in search of Beauty
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessings.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
Before every sunrise and beyond every star, You simply are.
All beauty leans toward You, all gratitude finds its voice in Your silence.
Nothing we offer adds to Your fullness, yet You receive it with gentleness.
In that holy intimacy, our praise begins.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
Light awakens the horizon, all creation leans toward its Source.
The earth, the waters, and the breath within us speak a single truth of reverence.
Nothing claims its own glory; everything receives and gives back.
In silence, the heart discovers its place and rests there in praise.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures;
especially Sir Brother Sun,
who is the day, and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor;
and bears a likeness to You, Most High One.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
The rising sun pours fire and gentleness into the world,
teaching the heart how to give without possessing.
Sir Brother Sun’s light does not speak of himself,
yet everything lives by his gift.
So the soul learns to shine by reflecting, not by grasping.
In this quiet splendor, praise is born before words.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You, my Lord, formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
The moon pours silver mercy over hills and hidden valleys.
The river moves without haste; it carries the night as a quiet offering.
Small lights glisten in the distance, faithful and unafraid of the dark.
Beneath this wide sky, even the fragile find their peace.
Night opens its deep silence, the moon keeps watch with a gentle light.
The stars do not shout; they remain faithful in their places,
teaching the soul patience and trust.
In their quiet order, the heart learns that beauty does not hurry.
Under this sky, one rests, knowing one is held.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
The wind moves freely across fields and restless seas.
It bends what is rigid and carries seeds where no hand could reach.
Sometimes it whispers; sometimes it shakes the foundations.
In Brother Wind’s unseen passage, the soul learns surrender and freedom.
The air surrounds us before we are aware of it.
Cloud and clarity, warmth and rain — all arrive as quiet provision.
What seems changeable is often mercy in disguise.
Breathing in, the heart discovers it lives by a gift it cannot see.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
Water moves low, seeking the smallest places.
It does not resist the shape it is given,
Yet with patience it reshapes stone.
Clear and quiet, it humbly serves without announcing itself.
Through this humility, the heart learns that true strength can be gentle.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
Fire breaks the darkness without fear.
It dances and devours, yet gathers us close in warmth.
Its strength is alive, untamed, and luminous.
Through Brother Fire’s living flame, the heart learns courage and wonder.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
The earth holds us without complaint.
She receives every step, every tear, every fallen seed.
In quiet patience she carries the weight of our days.
Resting upon her, the heart remembers it belongs.
From hidden roots, life rises in color, fragrance and flavor.
What is small and buried becomes nourishment and beauty.
Each blossom and leaf speaks of generosity without measure.
In their tender growth, the soul learns gratitude.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
The blessed carry wounds without wounding.
They choose mercy when resentment would be easier.
In their quiet hearts, the knots of bitterness are loosened.
Through their gentleness, love becomes visible.
Pain does not harden them; it deepens them.
They walk through a dark trial without surrendering their light.
Their patience is not weakness, but rooted strength.
In their steadfast calm, hope quietly reigns.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
She comes without haste, without preference.
No door is closed to her, no title persuades her to pass by.
She strips us of what we cling to and leaves only what is true.
Before her quiet certainty, the heart is asked, “What have you truly loved?”
There is a way of living that prepares for that final meeting.
A heart aligned with mercy need not fear the crossing.
When life has been given back to its Giver, nothing essential is lost.
In that surrender, even death becomes a doorway into light.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
Fr. Norbert paints with words
Gratitude begins where pride ends.
When the soul stops measuring itself, it discovers it has received everything.
To bless the Lord is not to add to His greatness, but to awaken to it.
Thanksgiving reshapes the heart, softening what was rigid and restless.
Service born of humility is quiet and unadorned.
It does not seek to be seen; it seeks to be faithful.
In bowing low, the spirit stands taller than before.
And in that hidden surrender, life becomes praise.
All things return to quiet.
What was sung in light now rests in stillness.
Nothing is outside the circle of mercy.
And the heart, emptied and grateful, remains.
Ewa writes an image
ST. FRANCIS SAYS
Amen
Fr. Norbert paints with words
All things return to quiet.
What was sung in light now rests in stillness.
Nothing is outside the circle of mercy.
And the heart, emptied and grateful, remains.
Ewa writes an image
About the Artwork
Each painting in the Canticle of the Sun collection is lovingly created in egg tempera on a 24 × 24-inch wood panel.
Interested in learning more about this painting, exploring reproduction options, or making it part of your collection?
We would be delighted to hear from you.
For artwork inquiries, purchasing information, or reproduction requests, please contact us at ewa@eviacordis.com
We look forward to connecting with you!
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