A piano concert marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi was held Monday at Santuario de San Antonio Church in Makati City.
The concert, titled Frate Sole or Brother Sun, featured Italian pianist Mario Mariani and was organized by the Italian Embassy in Manila and Inter-Franciscan Ministries Conference in the Philippines.
The event honored St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy, who is remembered worldwide for his message of peace, humility and care for creation. St. Francis died on Oct. 3, 1226.
The concert featured live piano accompaniment inspired by Frate Sole, a 1918 Italian silent film about the life of St. Francis.
Mariani, an Italian pianist and composer, performed in Manila for the first time, blending music, film and contemplation.
Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the concert was more than an artistic event.
“This concert is not simply an artistic presentation; it is a spiritual offering,” Garcera said in a message read during the program.
He said St. Francis continues to speak clearly to the modern world, even eight centuries after his death.
“Through piano music, we are invited to rediscover his profound intuition: that creation is not something to dominate, but to embrace as brother and sister, as a gift entrusted to our care,” Garcera said.
He said the message remains urgent amid climate change, poverty and social divisions, echoing Pope Francis’ calls for care for the earth and the poor.
Italian Ambassador Davide Giglio said St. Francis remains “a timeless and guiding light” whose legacy still speaks to the world.
“Francis proved a life of simplicity and humility can be powerful to transform society,” Giglio said.
He said the Franciscan message offers an alternative to “selfishness, materialism and conflict,” especially in difficult times.
Pope Leo XIV earlier declared a special jubilee to honor St. Francis, encouraging the faithful to reflect on his life of poverty, charity and devotion.
