Thoughts on Francis of Assisi

136 Pages·2013·3.785 MB·English

by  Latifah Troncelliti

T A M E R I C A N U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D I E S
r
o
n
Francis’s forma vitae for the Fratres Minores, the original rule for the Fran-
c
ciscan Order, was meant to establish peace and equality among people e
l
who worked together in a community, each using his own particular tal- li
t
ent: an ideal that had a short life. At Francis’s death, Pope Gregory IX i
took the opportunity to use Francis’s popularity in order to satisfy his
political ambition. Despite the protest of Francis’s closest brothers and
sisters, the ones who had shared the true experience of the order dur-
ing his life, the pope changed Francis’s forma vitae into something more
palatable and useful to the Church. The Franciscan Order became a tool
for the Church to reassert control over every issue and in every situation T
regarding spirituality, religious dogmas, the position of women in society, h
o
and material possession. Many of these issues had never been on Fran-
u
cis’s agenda. Although it made Francis a famous saint with a spectacular
g
canonization, at the same time the Church ignored Francis’s original and h
revolutionary concept, which was often deeply opposed to the Church’s t
s
politics. Thoughts on Francis of Assisi illustrates with historical details the
o
Franciscan Order’s makeover devised by the Catholic Church after Fran- n
cis’s death. The Franciscan Order was never again what Francis had cre-
F
ated. Thoughts on Francis of Assisi is essential reading for graduate courses r
a
in history, religious studies, and Italian studies.
n
c
i
s

o
f

A
s
s
i
s
LATIFAH TRONCELLITI completed her Ph.D. in Romance Languages at
i
the University of Oregon and is now Associate Professor in the Modern
Languages Department at Saint Bonaventure University in New York. Her
first book, The Two Parallel Realities of Alberti and Cennini: The Power of
Writing and the Visual Arts in the Italian Quattrocento, appeared in 2004.
She has written articles on the subject of art practice and art theory, and Thoughts on Francis of Assisi
she has become ever more interested in Church history, considering that
v
the Catholic Church’s influence upon artistic expression was a determin- i
i

ing factor in the development of Italian art. •

3
3
9
ISBN 978-1-4331-2443-3
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E
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A M E R I C A N N
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LATIFAH TRONCELLITI
S T U D I E S
www.peterlang.com
AUS S-VII 339 312443_Troncelliti_TH 150x225 HC NY.indd 1 05.11.13 14:39
T A M E R I C A N U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D I E S
r
o
n
Francis’s forma vitae for the Fratres Minores, the original rule for the Fran-
c
ciscan Order, was meant to establish peace and equality among people e
l
who worked together in a community, each using his own particular tal- li
t
ent: an ideal that had a short life. At Francis’s death, Pope Gregory IX i
took the opportunity to use Francis’s popularity in order to satisfy his
political ambition. Despite the protest of Francis’s closest brothers and
sisters, the ones who had shared the true experience of the order dur-
ing his life, the pope changed Francis’s forma vitae into something more
palatable and useful to the Church. The Franciscan Order became a tool
for the Church to reassert control over every issue and in every situation T
regarding spirituality, religious dogmas, the position of women in society, h
o
and material possession. Many of these issues had never been on Fran-
u
cis’s agenda. Although it made Francis a famous saint with a spectacular
g
canonization, at the same time the Church ignored Francis’s original and h
revolutionary concept, which was often deeply opposed to the Church’s t
s
politics. Thoughts on Francis of Assisi illustrates with historical details the
o
Franciscan Order’s makeover devised by the Catholic Church after Fran- n
cis’s death. The Franciscan Order was never again what Francis had cre-
F
ated. Thoughts on Francis of Assisi is essential reading for graduate courses r
a
in history, religious studies, and Italian studies.
n
c
i
s

o
f

A
s
s
i
s
LATIFAH TRONCELLITI completed her Ph.D. in Romance Languages at
i
the University of Oregon and is now Associate Professor in the Modern
Languages Department at Saint Bonaventure University in New York. Her
first book, The Two Parallel Realities of Alberti and Cennini: The Power of
Writing and the Visual Arts in the Italian Quattrocento, appeared in 2004.
She has written articles on the subject of art practice and art theory, and Thoughts on Francis of Assisi
she has become ever more interested in Church history, considering that
v
the Catholic Church’s influence upon artistic expression was a determin- i
i

ing factor in the development of Italian art. •

3
3
9
P
E
T
E
R
L
A
A M E R I C A N N
G
U N I V E R S I T Y
LATIFAH TRONCELLITI
S T U D I E S
www.peterlang.com
AUS S-VII 339 312443_Troncelliti_TH 150x225 HC NY.indd 1 05.11.13 14:39
Thoughts on Francis of Assisi
SERIES VII
THEOLOGY AND RELIGION
Vol. 339
PETER LANG
New York ∙ Washington, D.C./Baltimore ∙ Bern
Frankfurt am Main ∙ Berlin ∙ Brussels ∙ Vienna ∙ Oxford
LATIFAH TRONCELLITI
Thoughts on
Francis of Assisi
PETER LANG
New York ∙ Washington, D.C./Baltimore ∙ Bern
Frankfurt am Main ∙ Berlin ∙ Brussels ∙ Vienna ∙ Oxford
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Troncelliti, Latifah.
Thoughts on Francis Of Assisi / Latifah Troncelliti.
pages cm. — (American university studies. VII, Theology and religion; v. 339)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Franciscans—Rules. 2. Franciscans—History.
3. Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182–1226. I. Title.
BX3604.Z5T76 271’.3—dc23 2013029604
ISBN 978-1-4331-2443-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4539-1205-8 (e-book)
ISSN 0740-0446
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available
on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de/.
© 2013 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York
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All rights reserved.
Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm,
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Printed in Germany
C
ontents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1 . The .Assisi .Compilation: .On .Broken .Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
2 . The .Medieval .Canonization .Process: .
. Reality .and .Politics . .Vox Populi, Vox Dei? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
3 . Saints .and .Demons .in .Medieval .Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
4 . Sacrum Commercium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
5 . Franciscan .Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
6 . The .Unbearable .Lightness .of .Francis’ .Forma Vitae . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

I
ntroduCtIon
This .is .a .collection .of .essays .written .during .a .three-year .research .on .Church .
history .at .the .Institute .of .Franciscan .Studies .at .St . .Bonaventure .University . .
Each .essay .describes .a .different .aspect .of .Franciscan .history .since .the .time .of .
Francis .of .Assisi .(1182-1226), .founder .of .the .Franciscan .Order . .All .essays, .
however, .have .a .common .theme: .the .Franciscan .Order’s .makeover .devised .by .
the .Catholic .Church .after .Francis’death . .The .Franciscan .Order .was .never .what .
Francis .had .created . .Francis .had .understood .the .needs .of .his .time .and .with .his .
brothers .had .organized .a .social .structure .to .counteract .the .corruption .of .con-
temporary .society . .His .rule .for .the .Fratres Minores, .the .original .Franciscan .
Order, .was .meant .to .establish .peace .and .equality .among .people .who .worked .
together .in .a .community, .yet .each .using .his .own .particular .talent: .an .ideal .that .
had .a .short .life . .At .Francis’ .death .Pope .Gregory .IX .took .the .opportunity .to .use .
Francis’ .popularity .in .order .to .satisfy .his .political .ambition . .Despite .the .protest .
of .Francis’closest .brothers .and .sisters, .the .ones .who .had .shared .the .true .expe-
rience .of .the .order .during .his .life, .the .Pope .changed .Francis’ .forma vitae .into .
something .more .palatable .and .useful .to .the .Church . .Most .of .the .new .friars, .in .
fact, .preferred .a .less .rigorous .rule .and .were .in .favor .of .an .easier .lifestyle .under .
the .Church’s .protection . .The .Franciscan .Order .became .a .tool .for .the .Church .
to .reassert .control .on .every .issue .and .in .every .situation .regarding .spirituality, .
religious .dogmas, .the .position .of .women .in .society .and .material .possessions . .
Many .of .these .issues .had .never .been .on .Francis’ .agenda . .While .making .of .
2 | ThoughTs on Francis oF assisi
Francis .a .famous .saint .with .a .spectacular .canonization, .at .the .same .time .the .
Church .ignored .Francis’ .original .and .revolutionary .concept .often .deeply .op-
posed .to .the .Church’s .politics . .
The .ambiguity .of .the .Church’s .position .is .still .evident .in .modern .schol-
arship . .It .reflects .the .confusion .surrounding .historical .happenings .pertinent .
to .Francis’ .life .and .deeds . .It .is .no .secret .that .after .Francis’death .the .Church .
destroyed .most .documents .that .could .shed .light .on .Francis’ .real .experience . .
The .Church .has .made .of .Francis .a .pious .saint, .an .imaginary .creature .that .had .
submitted .to .Catholic .doctrine, .thus .useful .to .its .political .power . .This .attitude .
did .not .change .through .the .centuries . .By .now .the .real .Francis .is .totally .un-
known .and .modern .scholars .are .still .debating .the .Franciscan .Question . .Who .
was .Francis? .
The .essays .express .personal .thoughts .on .Francis .and .on .the .Franciscan .
Order .past .and .present, .which .not .necessarily .reflect .an .orthodox .view . .I .dedi-
cate .these .essays .to .Dr . .Michael .Cusato .OFM, .whose .knowledge .and .open-
mindedness .brightened .my .days .throughout .my .study . .My .deepest .thanks .also .
to .all .the .professors .at .the .Franciscan .Institute .who .helped .me .in .my .work: .I .
am .grateful .for .their .dedication, .patience .and .willingness .to .listen .to .my .ques-
tions .and .comments . .Many .thanks .to .Dr . .Frank .Bianco, .who .helped .editing .the .
manuscript .
Here .is .a .brief .summary .that .defines .the .subject .of .each .essay . .The .first .
essay .deals .with .the .lack .of .information .about .Francis’ .real .story . .In .the .Assisi
Compilation, .one .of .the .most .famous .writings .in .Franciscan .production, .it .is .
evident .that .historians .according .to .their .own .religious .tendency .freely .in-
terpreted .the .ambiguity .of .Franciscan .hagiography . .The .Assisi Compilation .
shows .clearly .the .impossibility .of .arriving .to .a .sure .understanding .of .Francis’ .
life . .His .deeds .are .surrounded .by .a .deep .obscurity, .which .has .been .even .more .
exacerbated .by .the .Church’s .determination .to .use .Francis’ .great .popularity .to .
manipulate .his .intentions .in .favor .of .its .struggle .for .material .power . .
The .second .essay .is .dedicated .to .the .procedure .of .canonization . .The .can-
onization .appears .to .be .an .anomaly .when .compared .to .other .great .religious .
systems . .By .scratching .just .so .slightly .the .surface .of .this .historical .phenom-
enon .it .is .possible .to .recognize .its .tremendous .political .benefit .for .the .papacy . .
The .exploitation .by .the .Catholic .Church .of .the .popularity .of .each .canonized .
saint .becomes .clear .particularly .when .we .examine .the .case .of .the .most .famous .
Franciscsan .saints .such .as .Saint .Francis .of .Assisi .and .Saint .Anthony .of .Padua . .
This .essay .proposes .to .discover .the .real .purpose .under .the .magic .scenario .of .
the .canonization .process . .
The .third .essay .puts .in .perspective .the .medieval .socio-economic .struc-
ture .that .underlies .the .development .of .religious .institutions . .In .this .essay .we .
examine .in .particular .women’s .place .in .a .society .that .precludes .them .from .