ON BLESSED PHILIP OR PHILIPPINUS
OF THE ORDER OF MINORS AT MONTALCINO IN TUSCANY.
TOWARD THE END OF THE 13TH CENTURY.
CommentaryPhilip or Philippinus, of the Order of Minors, at Montalcino in Tuscany (B.)
By the author D. P.
[1] The Abbot of the monastery of St Anthimus of Vallisstratia, pertaining without intermediary to the Roman church, of the Order of St Benedict in the diocese of Arezzo, attending that the church of St Angel of Castro-vetere of Monte-Alcino, pertaining in spirituals and temporals to the same monastery by full right, In Montalcino a convent founded around 1286, had so slender returns and revenues, that one of them could not be conveniently sustained from them, nor could it be provided for him from the resources of the said monastery, and that from the said church a small fruit came to the aforesaid monastery; with the consent of the Convent of the same monastery he by pious and provident deliberation determined that it, with the house, cemetery and garden and other appurtenances existing around it (the other possessions of the said church being reserved to the aforesaid monastery), should perpetually be granted to a certain Moro Morandi, Judge of the Roman Church, as proctor for it as to property, but as to use to the Guardian and Brothers of the Order of Minors. So Pope Honorius IV, in the second year of his Pontificate, the year of Christ 1286, on the 11th of December at Rome, writing to the Bishop of Siena, who was then Raynaldus Vguccionis Malavolta, and commanding him, "that concerning the premises he should solicitously inquire the truth, and if he should find that this concession was rightly made without prejudice to anyone, he should procure that it be confirmed by Apostolic authority."
[2] not long after received the body of B. Philip, These were the first, if not the foundations, certainly the strengthenings of that Convent: to which before the end of that century another more noble was added, with the body of B. Philip or Philippinus brought into the church of St Angel, afterwards by a new name of St Francis: whom, born in Castile of Spain, lay by profession, St Anthony in the year 1221 from Sicily led with him into Germany to the General Council of the Order; and together with him handed over into the power of Brother Gratian, Minister appointed of Romagna: who led Anthony himself with him into Aemilia, who was a companion of St Anthony of Padua, with Brother Philippinus his companion sent, in his eighteenth year, to Civitas-castelli, formerly called Tybertina or Tifertina, where, until the chapter celebrated next after the death of St Francis, in holy conversation he remained, that is until the year 1227, as Lucas Wadding writes for the aforementioned year 1221. The same then for the year 1290 narrates, how the already-mentioned B. Philip, from humility and a low opinion conceived of himself called Philippinus, and died at Columbarium, called from Civitas-castelli, was present to St Francis dying, and weeping and grieving palpated his sacred wounds; and the obsequies of the holy Founder being celebrated, departed to Columbarium; and there with happy end consummated, was translated to Mont-Alcino, famous for miracles. Arturus in the Franciscan Martyrology says he died on the 1st of May, I do not know on what authority, and on the same day decreed his memory to be renewed.
[3] It seems more advisable to us to place him on this day, on which we learn from Peter Rodulphius of Tossiniano that his cult was celebrated, in book 1 of the Histories of the Seraphic Religion, folio 127 and following, writing such things. "B. Philip lay, where he had shone with miracles while alive, from Mont-Ilcino of the province of Tuscany, alive and dead known by miracles: who in prayer was so vehement, that he was seen elevated above the trees. He freed several from various diseases and sicknesses by the sign of the Cross. The river Orica, like another Moses, by his prayers he divided, that he might free his own from imminent danger: to whom all the sick fled as to a sacred anchor and were cured. He died, with miracles done, in the place of Columbarium, not far from Mont-Ilcino: after whose death the citizens, armed, brought that sacred body into the city; just as the people of Israel brought the ark with jubilation, and in the church of D. Francis honorably laid it, and even today (that is in the year 1586 in which Rodulphius published his work) each year the city flows together to it on the day of St Mark, cult at Montalcino on April 25. which was the day of his deposition, with candles and lights. There is preserved in the sacristy of the church his tunic with which he died: and is held by the inhabitants in great veneration. Master Jerome Tinellus from Mont-Ilcino, Rector of the greater church of Finalis in the Modenese country, related to me that he had seen a book noted with the public hand, where there are huge miracles, which God by the merits of this Saint has worked."
[4] Miracles formerly written in a notarial way, Tinellus's testimony concerning the written miracles is confirmed by Wadding, who professes that he gives the chief of them: who if at some time he had the very originals (as he had infinite other documents pertaining to the history of the Order), after he had used them sent them back, in no way solicitous about preserving at least a copy, which certainly would have contributed not a little, both to proving the faith of the Annals, and to the caution of future time, in which the very autographs, badly kept, would either be obscured or perish entirely. We began to fear that this very thing happened around B. Philip, after our Fathers of Siena, gone to Mont-Alcino at my request, sought in vain, for the cause of seeking the aforesaid writings, reported, that no such thing was any longer found among the Brothers: but afterwards the Episcopal Vicar himself wrote, that within the memory of elders a booklet on the Life and Miracles of holy Philippinus (for so in all the monuments of the place he is called) was passed about in the hands of rustics, which he thinks is indicated by the man of Tossiniano: but I should believe this booklet to have been written or printed in the vulgar tongue, and would consider it a great thing if it should still be found; the Notarial writing itself however I think to have been conceived in the Latin tongue. Meanwhile we do not omit from the epistle of the said Lord Vicar to note that the cult of this Saint flourishes in his proper chapel, where his image is seen above the altar girt with rays from as far back as the year 1362: and still on the day of St Mark, by public Decree, with the people gathering with their Magistrates, two crystal chests are exhibited above the altar, in one of which is contained the folded habit of the holy man, in the other the bones of his body reduced to ashes.
[5] Would that for stirring up this piety of the men of Mont-Alcino more and more, there should sometime be found both the aforesaid booklet, there is still hope: and the more ancient and long-desired monuments of the miracles: of finding which, although no hope has been found among the Brothers, there yet remains some among the Vicar, an aged man, who both remembers having seen them and promised to inquire. But if to such good will the event should respond, and the matter should fall as desired, we promise that with the same accuracy, with which we bring forth, arrange, and illustrate other similar acts of Notarial faith in this work, we shall arrange and illustrate also those concerning B. Philip, either at the end of this volume, if before the printing is finished they should be found, or in the future Supplement of the whole work; not without grateful commemoration of those, by whose benefit this treasure shall have been drawn out of the darkness. Now, what we can, we give an epitome of the Miracles wrought in his Life and after his death from Wadding.
[6] "The obsequies of St Francis having been celebrated, Philip went to Columbarium, the epitome is given from Wadding, where he excelled in virtue, where like a dove, in continual groaning and weeping, he led a most holy life. Here he received an admirable knowledge of sacred Scripture, whose more difficult places
he interpreted to others, and obtained perfect dominion over irrational animals. Sober in words he placed strict guard upon his mouth, lest he should sin or offend in speech. Here he received the gift of tears, from which he abstained neither day nor night, that, if any earthly stains had clung from his youth, by this water they might be abundantly washed away. Increased by divine graces he was caught up to the company of Angels, raised above all the highest trees. and is said to have been borne through the air to B. Giles, Brother Bonaventure de Podio and his companion saw him at one time, who had come from another Convent to see him, with hands joined, face raised to heaven, immobile in the air hanging above the tall holm-oaks. While they marveled, looking long at the wondrous matter, they see in the blink of an eye, by Angelic ministry, him carried to mount Cetonius distant 18 Roman miles, that with B. Giles he might converse about certain divine things. Like another Elias and Moses, frequently they would discuss with each other concerning the excessus, which Christ in his passion completed; concerning the ardor of charity, by which he willed to redeem the world by the price of his blood; concerning his benignity and longanimity in suffering sinners; and similar things to these.
[7] At length after a life holily and miraculously transacted, in good old age, to have died at the age of 87, full of days, eighty-seven years old, in the same place of Columbarium he migrated to the Lord. Not far is this town distant from Monte-Alcino, commonly Mont-Ilcino, formerly Plebs Lucina; whose people in crowds flowed together to Columbarium, and by force and skill wished to possess after death him whom they had supremely loved in life. That this pleased God and the holy man was clear by manifest signs. For when the men of Columbarium learned that the precious treasure was being snatched from them, they pursued the bearers of the body, the snatching of his body was helped by sudden rain, wishing to demand back what was theirs, and to upbraid them for the injury done to them. Yet the Lord sent down suddenly so much rain from heaven, that he recalled the pursuers from the journey, with no drop touching the holy bier or the bearers of the bier."
[8] A still greater portent occurred in this translation: "for when the copious shower had ceased, and the river divided into parts to allow the bearers to pass very many ran after the snatchers of the dear pledge: and they had come into their sight, when at the bank of the river Ombrone, flowing between the two towns and then with deep channel from the inundation of waters, they stood, thinking how they could ford it, and transfer the holy body. While however they hesitated without counsel, and saw the danger of the pursuers near, they see with great astonishment the miracle of the river Jordan renewed, and the Ombrone river turned backwards, and from the lower part with the waters slipped away appeared dry land, through which joyful they hastily passed to the opposite bank. But to those arriving who were pursuing and astonished at the novelty of the thing, the waters were permitted to flow in their course; and those which before seemed to be held by the strongest obstacles of walls, with new force began to flow down. With the passage therefore closed, which they saw opened to others, they discovered that God so willed, that as those had him alive, others should have him dead." I do not know whether Rodulphius wished to indicate this very thing or some other similar miracle of the same holy man, when he wrote, "The river Orica by his prayers he divided, that he might free his own from imminent danger." Different names of rivers, they confirm to be distinct. So distinct indeed, that from a different and opposite side both flow past Mont-Alcino, yet in the twelfth mile below it they are joined, and the Orica loses its name plunging itself into the larger Ombrone; and so the names could easily be alternated by some not very curious reporter. It is certain however from the situation of Columbaria, which is next to Seggiano, that those coming with the body had to cross the Orica, not the Ombrone. Be that as it may, let us proceed to give the rest from Wadding.
[9] "Many signs and illustrious miracles he wrought, transcribed by public faith by Imperial Notaries, the miracles are summarily enumerated of a certain one, and confirmed by the subscription of many witnesses: from which we here give the chief, which from the day of his deposition until the twentieth of May he wrought. On the very day on which the body was brought, a certain man laboring with most acute fever, having made a vow to honor his sepulcher and to set up a wax statue to the measure of his body, immediately recovered. Another, having suffered most vehement pains of the stomach, similarly vowed and was freed. A third, laboring with a great abscess in the throat, for two days could swallow nothing, until he wholly devoted himself with reverence and devotion to B. Philip, and immediately all the evil departed. The burnt hand of a certain woman, a little boy laboring with epilepsy, another deaf, a young girl mute, Marcellus the Notary suffering pain in the kidneys, John from Mont-Alcino a reaper deprived of the office of his left arm, he wondrously healed.
[10] An incontinent Priest, having entered the house of his mistress, the parents, surrounding the house with armed soldiery, within the first month from the Translation, proposed to slaughter. He, in extreme danger of life, commended his struggle to the Lord, and promised him to change his life for the better if he should escape the present danger: then with the highest vows he invoked B. Philip, that in such great danger he might bring present help, promising he would hang at his sepulcher a sign of grateful soul and benefit received. Having said these things, with the door opened he went out, and passed through the midst of those who were seeking his soul; nor was there one of them all who saw him or made any objection. Mingarda, widow of Neri de Vigili, brought her little son Joannin, for eight days hurt in one eye, on the 19th of May to the tomb of the holy man, and at once led him back healthy. Another Mingarda, formerly the wife of Maffaeus of Mont-Alcino, on the 20th day of the same month, after she had visited the same sepulcher for seven days, was made healthy from an abscess, with which she labored under the breast."
[11] Thus far Wadding, provoking the appetite for learning more, not satisfying desire: whom I should believe, from the year noted, done in the year 1279 according to us, such as he found appended to the Notarial writings, to have defined the year of death: and in this very thing not to have adverted to the usage of the Sienese (in whose district Mont-Alcino is) elsewhere both proved and indicated this month, namely of preventing by nine months the beginning of the common year; so that what are there said done in the year 1290 in the month of May, ought to be referred to the year 1289. Whether the translation was made a few days elapsed from the death of the Blessed, which the already indicated miracles soon followed, or whether after a longer time of one or several years passed since death the men of Montalcino thought of snatching the body, whether immediately from the death of the Blessed, is not easy to define from the authors. To reason perhaps it will seem more congruent to someone, that they took the body away before it was buried, lying in the temple, with the men of Columbarium taking their nocturnal rest, than that they did the same thing with him already buried: yet another could object, that it is incongruously believed that the men of Columbarium, in that heat of new devotion to the Blessed, gave the convenience to their neighbors of carrying off an unguarded treasure.
[12] or rather one year at least afterwards The former opinion seems to be favored by the man of Tossiniano in the words alleged above; and Wadding himself, calling that day on which he was received among the men of Mont-Ilcino the day of his deposition, that is, of burial, as if until then he had not been buried. On the contrary Francis Gonzaga in part 2 of the Seraphic Origins, treating of the Convent of Columbarium, which was the third of the Province of Tuscany, when among those who illustrated that place by their sanctity he had named this Philip from Castile of Spain, "a man most adorned with every kind of virtue; who, having accompanied blessed Father Anthony of Padua from Spain into Italy, chose this house for himself, and in it persevered to death"; at length concluding says, that "the body, secretly exhumed, was translated to Monte Ilcino." Bartholomew Pisanus mentions the same in book 1 of the Conformities, page 154, writing in the year 1385: but in such a way that it cannot conveniently be drawn either way, when under the custody of Chiusi, after describing the place of Columbaria, he simply names "the place of Mont Ilcino, where holy Brother Philippinus shining with miracles continually preaches the conversion of nations to Christ." But if it were established, that the Blessed died on May 1, as Arturus writes, there could be no doubt at all, but that at least one year intervened between death and translation. Situation of Columbaria. Furthermore, whatever we have here said about the men of Columbarium, with armed hand pursuing the bearers of the sacred body, this is now said about the men of Seggiano, as next to the Convent of Columbarium and having Columbarium itself under them: but the Castle of Seggiano or Sediano is distant from Mont-Alcino not much more than ten miles, with the little river Orcia dividing the middle of the journey.
[13] Let one specimen of the indulgences granted to the place close these things, with express indication of the feast of S. Philippinus customarily celebrated annually, of which kind of bulls given by various Prelates the Episcopal Vicar has informed us that they exist there: it itself is such. Indulgences given to the Confraternity of D. V. "We Brother Augustine of the Order of the Brother Hermits of St Augustine, by the grace of God Bishop of Salubria, Vicar General of the Reverend in Christ Father Lord James by the same grace Bishop of Arezzo, in functioning Pontifically in the city and diocese of Arezzo, to the beloved sons the Confreres of the Fraternity of the Virgin Mary of the Annunciate Chapel near the place of the Friars Minor of Mont-Alcino, salvation in the Lord eternal. Asked by you, that we adorn your Chapel, which to the honor of the Mother of God you have built near the aforesaid place, with some spiritual graces, that the faithful of God might gather there as much more devoutly and fervently, as much as from this they should know they could obtain some spiritual grace; therefore by the authority and assent of the aforesaid Lord James, by whose authority we function Pontifically in the city and diocese of Arezzo, for various feasts, we grant to all you who gather, by special grace, by reason of devotion on the present festivities, namely, of the Nativity of the Lord, of the Epiphany, of the Resurrection, on all Easter Sundays, on all the festivities of St Mary, to whose praise the said Chapel was set up, on all the festivities of the Apostles and Evangelists, of St Francis, of St Louis, of St Philippinus, of St Lawrence, also of S. Philippinus, of St Stephen, on all such days, then whenever any office shall be celebrated in the said Chapel in the church of the said Brothers,… forty days of Indulgences for committed sins, on the part of the aforesaid Lord James Bishop of Arezzo, and another forty on our part, we grant and mercifully relax. In testimony of which we cause the present to be fortified by the appending of our customary seal for the full faith of the devout faithful. Given in the church of the Plebs of St Salvator of Mont-Alcino, in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 1370, Indiction… in the year 1370. on the 26th day of June, in the time of the supreme Pontiff Lord Urban by divine permission Pope V," who in the same year (at least according to our manner of numbering taken) ceased to live, as also James the Bishop, and it would have been the eighth Indiction (although in the copy sent to us it could not be read) or the seventh, if according to the Sienese custom the beginning of the common year was prevented by nine months. The Bishopric of Salubria we have nowhere read of, but we know well the Sicilibrese
in the province of Carthage, of which long since extinct only the bare title, among the alternations of curial ministers somewhat distorted from the true writing, is used, we marvel the less the more often we have been able to observe the same.
April III: 26. April
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