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Beato Enrico (Alfieri) d'Asti Francescano
Asti, 1315 - Ravenna, 1401
Bl. Henry Alfieri of Asti
1315-1405
Beato Enrico (Alfieri) d'Asti Francescano
1 aprile
Asti, 1315 - Ravenna, 1401
Enrico, dei signori di Magliano, nacque ad Asti verso il 1315. Entrato tra i francescani, si mostrò subito ricco di virtù.Fu superiore della provincia minoritica genovese. Nel Capitolo Generale del 1387 celebrato a Firenze fu eletto prima Vicario Generale, poi all’unanimità Ministro di tutto l’Or-dine, che per diciassette anni governò paternamente senza diminuire penitenza e preghiere, coronate da miracoli.Presiedette sei capitoli generali, nei quali si studiò di rimettere in onore la disciplina religiosa, che lasciava a desiderare a causa degli scismi esistenti nella Chiesa e nell’interno del-l’Ordine. Ebbe il merito di favorire la riforma degli Osservanti, iniziata da fra Paoluccio Trinci da Foligno. Fu bene accetto ai papi Urbano VI (1378-1389) e Bonifacio IX (1389-1404).Morì a Ravenna in fama di santità nel 1401 e fu sepolto nella chiesa di San Francesco.La sua memoria cade al primo aprile.
Enrico nacque ad Asti (Piemonte) verso l'anno 1315 da famiglia nobile. Entrato tra i Francescani, fu superiore della provincia minoritica genovese e nel capitolo generale del 1387 fu eletto ministro generale, carica che esercitò per diciotto anni, sino alla morte. Presiedette sei capitoli generali, nei quali si studiò di rimettere in onore la disciplina religiosa, che lasciava a desiderare a causa degli scismi esistenti nella Chiesa e nell'interno dell'Ordine. Ebbe il merito di favorire la riforma degli Osservanti, iniziata da fra Paoluccio Trinci da Foligno. Fu bene accetto ai papi Urbano VI (1378-89) e Bonifacio IX (1389-1404). Morì a Ravenna in fama di santità nel 1405 e fu sepolto nella chiesa di S. Francesco. Il Martirologio Francescano lo ricorda al 1° apr. col titolo di beato.
Autore: Rodolfo Toso d'Arenzano
Fonte:
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Aggiunto il 2009-05-22
April 1
Bl. Henry Alfieri of Asti
1315-1405
Bl. Henry Alfieri became Vicar General and then Minister General of the Order in 1387 and served until 1405 – 18 years in total. He labored earnestly in numerous Chapters to renew the discipline of the Order which had suffered greatly during the Schism. The Popes of both obediences, in order to hold their followers, had been lavish in the bestowal of personal favors of all kinds, and this was dangerous to discipline in the Order. True the Popes sought to curb the evil by declaring the grants of their opponents invalid, but this was not effective. The worst privileges were those which more or less freed the subjects from obedience to their superiors, - and, for the friars, those privileges which assured individuals of incomes which were to go to the convent after their death. Once this bad example was given, it is only natural that many imitated it even without such a privilege. Many superiors in the Order were also remiss in the fulfillment of their office. This is clearly shown by the repeated deposal of provincials by the General and from the complaints of the esteemed contemporary Bartholomew of Pisa. His book, Liber conformitatum, was approved by the General Chapter of 1399 and the author received a habit of St. Francis as a reward. The reintroduction of syndics, such as Martin IV had permitted, also occurs during the Generalate of Alfieri. At least on February 16, 1395, Boniface IX renewed the brief of his predecessor, with this remark which may have a twofold meaning: “But b this we wish that no new right be acquired by you, but only that the ancient right be preserved” (Per hoc autem nullum jus vobis volumus de novo acquiri, sed antiquum tantum conservari). There is no mention of the abrogation of the contradictory decree of John XXII. But this decree was annulled in a brief of the same Pope, written November 24, 1395, in which he permits the upper German province to reappoint syndics as intended by Martin IV, with the express remark however that this favor should have no value for the other provinces of the Order. The Chapter at Munich in 1405 elected Anthony of Pireto as General. He soon had to face a difficult problem. In order to restore unity to the Church, the cardinals of both obediences assembled at Pisa in 1409, deposed both Popes and elected the friar, Peter Philargi of Crete. Peter took the name of Alexander V. Learning, friendliness and unbounded charity towards the poor were his distinctive traits. He was wont to say that as bishop (of Milan) he had been rich, as cardinal he had been poor, but as Pope he was a beggar. Among Alexander’s official acts, his brief of December 31, 1409, is of importance for the internal history of the Order. By this brief he permitted to some French monasteries the acceptance of pious bequests which hitherto had been forbidden. But he expressly excluded the acceptance of landed estates. After his short and unjustly defamed pontificate, the cardinals elected John XXIII. Both of the “Pisa Popes” were, in theory, unlawful, because the Council could not proceed in that manner against the will of the rightfully elected Gregory XII. But this situation was so complicated that by far the greatest part of Christendom unhesitatingly acknowledged the Pisa Popes as the lawful rulers, as that they can not be placed on the same level with the other anti-popes. Since Gregory still had some followers in Germany and Italy and Benedict XIII had at that time not yet been forsaken by Spain, in reality three Popes reigned in the Church after 1409. The necessary consequence of this multiplicity of papal claimants was that the Order soon had three Generals. When Anthony of Pireto placed himself on the side of the Council of Pisa, he was deposed by Gregory XII, but under the protection of the Pisa Popes, he continued to rule over the largest part of the Order. The vicar general, Angelus Salvetti, appointed as ruler of the Order by Gregory, seems to have transferred soon to the obedience of the Pisa Popes, whereupon Gregory appointed Anthony of Cascia General in 1410. Anthony was probably able to govern until 1415, although he had only a few provinces under him. Theoretically Anthony was the lawful General, but practically Anthony of Pireto and not Anthony of Cascia was considered as General in most countries. Spain remained faithful to the General Bardolini for some years. Since all three superiors held General Chapters, and deposed the followers of the other obediences wherever possible, the confusion in the Order became immeasurable. In order to lessen this confusion to some extent, the Chapter at Rome in 1411, held by the majority of the Order under Anthony of Pireto, commanded that all the ordinances given out by the various obediences during the schism should be annulled. But the command had little significance since the schism still continued for some years, till the Council of Constance (1414-1418). This Council, which John XXIII had assembled at the insistence of the emperor Sigmund, finally restored order. Gregory XII willingly resigned in 1415, the two other Popes were deposed. Martin V, chosen November 1417, began to rule the Church as the sole Chief-Shepherd “amidst the universal rejoicing, that men could hardly speak for joy.” With this, unity was also restored to the Order, since Bardolini had just as few followers as Benedict XIII. The Council of Constance, in which the General with thirty-three doctors of theology took part, concerned itself with many of the affairs of the Order. Besides the important decree concerning the recently constituted Observance in France (cf. paragraph 20), it quite frequently discussed the teachings of the friar, Jean Petit (Joannes Parvus: died 1411), doctor at Paris, who had defended tyrannicide, if not absolutely, at least conditionally. The University of Paris had condemned the doctrine but, despite all the efforts of its chancellor, Gerson, at the Council, it did not succeed in having its sentence confirmed by the Council.
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The Reform Movement in Italy up to the Council of Constance As already shown, efforts were not lacking within the Order to eradicate the abuses which had crept in. Lasting and general effects however, were not to be expected from these efforts as long as the causes, which the Order could not abolish, continued to exist. Thus the results remained limited to single houses, and perhaps only to single friars. Such zealous religious were found everywhere. Outside of these “Observants”, there were others who, in the course of the 14 th century, came together in reform houses. These centres of reform, however, were not uniform in organization and did not at all times have the same purpose. Some contented themselves with a heremitical life apart from the community, others wished to influence the Order and to reform it by their example. The reformed friars of the 14 th century cannot, therefore, be completely identified with the Observants of the 15 th century. In fact, they only prepared the way. They were the elements upon which the later Observance built. This is true above all of the reform residences in Italy. Here already in 1334, John of Valle, had obtained permission from the General of the Order to take possession of a hermitage with four friars and there to observe the Rule in its primitive severity, without the papal declarations. They chose the little convent of St. Bartholomew de Brugliano in the vicinity of Foligno, also called locus Pistiae. John lived there under the obedience of the ordinary superiors until his death in 1351. According to Marian of Florence, John was advised in his activities by Angelus Clarenus. This is quite possible. A new schism might have resulted from the separation of John and his companions. Hence Clement VI in 1343 commanded the General to grant no exemption, not even the slightest, to the friars who ostensibly wished to observe the Rule literally. The same Pope surprisingly acted in an entirely different manner towards the lay brother, Gentilis of Spoleto, a companion of John, who had gathered a large number of friars around him. In 1350, Clement permitted them to occupy four hermitages, among them Le Carceri near Assisi, with 12 friars who wished to observe the Rule in its purity, as Francis had given it. He gave them the right to receive novices, and practically exempted them from the jurisdiction of the provincial. Privileges, here as so often, were their ruin. They adopted a peculiar garb, shorter and narrower habits, and they were very injudicious in acceptance of apostates and even heretics as new members. These were perhaps Fraticelli who, under the protection of the papal Brief, wished to attain their old goal. The Order consequently opposed this new group at the Chapter of Assisi in 1354, with the result that Innocent IV, in the year 1355, revoked the enactments of his predecessor. Gentilis, with some other equally guilty members, was imprisoned and his society was dissolved. The good elements returned to the obedience of the superiors and continued their strict life of penance unmolested.
Among these latter was the lay brother, Paul Trinci (Paoluccio Vagnozzi Trinci da Foligno) who, in 1368, at the intercession of his relative, Ugolino da Trinci, received permission from the General once more to go to the solitude of Brugliano with some companions. There, in very great poverty, these friars led an exceedingly strict life, rendered more severe by the many snakes around the solitude which caused them much trouble. As a protection against these reptiles, they wore wooden shoes (calepodia, zoccoli) and thus inaugurated a style which was to continue for a long time in the family of the Observants. This feature won for them the name, Zoccolanti, or Lignipedes. But not all could imitate the severity of their leader. Many returned to their convents. Sometimes Paul had only one companion, and sometimes he was completely alone. But his perseverance and his earnest striving aroused admiration, and by and by he attracted other friars who remained. Brugliano had to be enlarged and soon one residence was no longer adequate. By the year 1373, they already occupied ten little houses to which number St. Damian near Assisi was soon added. All this took place with the consent of the General of the Order although in the beginning some provincials and custodes jealously persecuted the movement. Gregory IX, in the year 1374, took these adversaries sternly to task. From the Pope’s words on this occasion we learn that these friars observed the Rule ad litteram. Whether this expression is to be taken in the Spiritualistic sense or, in other words, whether they wished to observe the Rule without the papal declarations, is more than doubtful. To all appearances, this term meant the strict observance of the existing precepts as opposed to the widespread laxism. The conduct of Paoluccio and of the Superiors of the Order favor this interpretation. Paul sought papal privileges, wore the habit of the Community, accepted permanent residences without quibbling about the question of the right of property, and above all fought successfully against the Fraticelli, who pretended to be the true sons of St. Francis. The superiors on their part, after their initial prejudices had been dispelled, saw in the reformed friars no separate party, but friars of their Order, imbued with greater zeal for the Regularis Observantia than the others. Consequently without any further ado, the friars from the residences of Paoluccio could be placed in the houses of the Community. This was of advantage for the internal strengthening of the reform movement. Thus the distinguishing mark was neither garb nor name – they had no special designation – but solely the spirit which emanated from Paul and his companions and brought about powerful results. His superiors soon realized this. Accordingly in 1380, his provincial appointed Paul commissary of the twelve reform convents in the Umbrian province and gave him the authority to receive novices. The General of the Order was just as friendly. Alfieri in 1388 appointed him General Commissary and permitted him to accept some houses in the province of the March of Ancona as well as the right to send friars to all the regions of Italy, Bosnia, and Corsica, where they should serve as a leaven for the rest. At those times there was absolutely no thought of a separation from the Order such as followed later. The Superiors hoped for a renewal of the entire Order through the zeal of these friars. Thus matters stood when Paoluccio died on September 17, 1390. His successor was John of Stronconio (died 1418) who knew how to spread the reform movement with prudent moderation. As the vicar of the General he could summon the friars to Chapters. By this fact however the power of the General and the Provincial was in no way curtailed but it was exercised with benevolence. In the face of this it is difficult to understand why John went to the Pope in 1403 with the request to be allowed to begin two new hermitages in Italy together with church, cemetery and workshops without being forced to obtain the permission of any third party. From the Papal Brief of permission it is also evident that John was placed as vicar of the General only over the residences in the provinces of Umbria and the March of Ancona, although reform convents also existed in the Roman province. It appears from this that opposition had been shown by some provincials, if not against the movement itself, then at least against the partial exemption of these friars Be that as it may, the number of reformed monasteries grew and reached 34 by the year 1414. In 1415, the convent of Portiuncula was added with the condition however that the offerings must go to the Sacro Convento. All these residences were hermitages or smaller convents situated outside of the cities. The friars dwelling there, about 200 in number, were mostly lay brothers, whose primary purpose was self-sanctification. There were however some priests among the members of the reformed houses who did some work for the care of souls. Conditions soon changed when priests, in increasing numbers, important preachers and educated men, joined the reform. Very prominent among these are the “four pillars of the Observance.” First of these was St. Bernardine of Siena. He entered the Order in his home town in 1402 and after a short time went to the nearby reform convent of Colombaio where he made his profession. At that time this was not considered as a transfer from the Conventuals to the Observants; both parties still belonged together. Bernardine preached at the command of the General. He preached with all the spirit which he had imbibed in the reformed convent. Naturally he carried this spirit everywhere and in all places his powerful eloquence won esteem for himself and esteem also for the reform movement. Besides he strove to introduce learning into the reformed convents in order to be able to make their valuable ascetical powers serviceable for the care of souls. Thus he prepared the way for the later importance of the reform in Italy. It is easy to understand that he was hailed as the founder of the Observance, and that little mention is made of Paoluccio in the 15 th century. The most famous disciple of St. Bernardine was St. John Capistran, who had gained admission among the Observants of Perugia in 1414. In the following year Albert of Sarteano placed himself under the direction of the great master, after he had lived for ten years in non-reformed convents. Finally in 1416, James of the March also joined the Observants at the Portiuncula. These four men guided the reform movement with a firm hand through all the dangers which threatened it in the next decades.
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The Reform Houses in Spain and Portugal up to the Council of Constance
Very little is known about the beginnings of the Observance in Spain. In the following pages, the short notices contained in the pertinent papal documents are the only source. These furnish indeed only a very incomplete picture of the reform movement in Spain, but they are at least a sure guide and permit us to avoid the confusion of the chronicles. The Iberian peninsula was divided into three provinces in the 14 th century. The lines of division extended from north to south. The western area was called the Province of Portugal or St. James, the central the Province of Castile, and the eastern the Province of Aragon. In all three provinces there were about 1400 reform monasteries, which apparently arose independently of one another. The Province of St. James suffered the most during the Western Schism. A part of this province, comprising the present Portugal, did not place itself under the Avignon obedience, as did the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, but remained faithful to the Roman Pope. On that account, there was a division with resultant disorders of every kind. Therefore in 1398, Boniface IX requested the provincial of England to send Vistors to the province since the General, Henry Alfieri, despite all exhortations, had done nothing. That is however very easy to understand since a great part of the province followed not Alfieri, but the General Chevegneyo. The zealos friars who belonged to the Roman obedience, were very much dissatisfied with the state of affairs and sought to separate from the rest of the friars. Already in 1392, the friars Didacus Arias, Gundisalvus Marini and Peter Diaz had obtained permission from Boniface IX to lead a solitary life in a small house which was to be erected. Gundisalvus then established some more residences in the northern part of his province and had them occupied by like- minded companions. These however soon placed themselves under the Avignon obedience. Thereupon, in 1407, they asked Benedict XIII to confirm the houses established without papal permission. The Pope granted the request with the regret that the founder of these convents still adhered to the Roman obedience. We known nothing more of the ordinances according to which these friars lived in distinction from the rest. On the other hand we know that around 1407 a house, dedicated to St. Anthony, in the neighborhood of Lisbon was occupied by friars who called themselves de Observantia. The same is true of the large convent at Oviedo which had certainly adopted the reform already in 1409. Besides the nearby hermitage of S. Maria de radicibus, which a lay brother, Ferdinand Gundisalvi, established in 1413, we hear no more of efforts for reform up to the Council of Constance. If one may draw legitimate conclusions from a later decree of 1427, the Observants of this province had a lively interest in books and learning. In the Province of Aragon, some friars must have obtained permission from the Papal Legate already in 1389 to be allowed to lead a solitary life independent of the superiors. The two houses of Xelva and Mantanera must have been founded by them. For these two cloisters already some years before 1424, lived sub regulari observantia. In that year, together with the monastery of Sanctus Spiritus in Eremo near Murviedro, founded by Queen Mary in 1403, they formed a separate custody. The guardian of Murviedro, Bernard Escariola, and the brother Bartholomew Borraz are mentioned as the founders of Sancta Maria de Angelis. Both the houses just mentioned had wide exemptions already before 1424, in that they could choose their own guardian for three years, could accept friars and admit them to profession, and were free form the obligation of contributing money to the province. After 1424 these four convents were permitted to elect their own custos, who was practically independent of the provincial. We note also here that these monasteries wished to live not solely for the strict observance of the Rule but also for theological study and preaching.
