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Why did St. Francis of Assisi call animals and natural forces his brothers and sisters?

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Bonaventura Berlinghieri: St. Francis and Scenes from His Life — St. Francis of Assisi *St. Francis and Scenes from His Life*, tempera on panel by Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1235; in the Church of San Francesco, Pescia, Italy.

St. Francis of Assisi referred to animals and natural forces as his "brothers" and "sisters" because he viewed all of nature as a mirror of God and a series of steps leading toward the divine.1

His perspective was rooted in a deep sense of brotherhood under God, which extended beyond humanity to encompass all of creation. In his famous "Canticle of the Creatures," he expressed this connection by addressing elements such as "Brother Sun," "Sister Moon," the wind, and water as kin. This spiritual outlook was so profound that he even referred to his own illnesses as "sisters" and his body as "Brother Ass," reflecting a humble recognition of his place within the created order.1

By viewing every creature as existing for a specific purpose and aiming collectively at the praise of God, St. Francis rejected the idea that any part of nature was superfluous. His approach serves as a foundational example of ecological spirituality, emphasizing that all of creation is interconnected and united in its existence.21