Instrumentum de stigmatibus beati Francisci

The Instrumentum de stigmatibus beati Francisci (1282) is a Latin document recording the miraculous stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi, produced under official authority to authenticate the event amid contemporary disputes within the Franciscan Order. Compiled by Filippo da Perugia from the testimony of a lay brother, it provides precise details of the date, hour, and manner of the stigmata, emphasizing its divine origin. The text served as a primary source for later Franciscan works, including the Actus beati Francisci, the Considerazioni sulle stimmate, and Bartolomeo da Pisa’s De Conformitate. Its format as an authenticated legal-like record reinforced both the historical credibility and institutional legitimacy of the miracle.