ON BL. ARCHANGELO CANETULI, CANON REGULAR OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR AT GUBBIO,
IN THE YEAR MDXIII.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
Angelus Canetulus, canon regular of St. Saviour, at Bologna. (B.)
*
BY J. V. H.
§ I. The memory of Blessed Archangelo in the sacred calendars; the writers of his Life. The nobility of both his parents.
At the 16th day of April, among those passed over and deferred to other days, our predecessors Act. SS., volume II of April, page 402. list Blessed Archangelo Canetuli, Blessed Archangelo, whose feast of the Order of Canons Regular of St. Saviour: on this day he died at Castiglion Aretino, and so he is entered today by Constantino Ghini in the Natales of the holy canons: and because he was of Bologna, he is recorded by Paolo Masini in Bologna perlustrata, briefly in the first edition, more at length in the second. We already had his ancient Life and the more recent process on the fame of his holiness, rendered into Latin, almost ready for the press, when we learned from Lud. Jacobilli that he is venerated at Gubbio, because his body is laid up there, on the 29th day of October. The ancient Life we have indeed, but in Italian; the process on the fame of his holiness we also found among the papers kept by our predecessors. The authentic exemplar has been deposited in the archive of the canons of St. Saviour of Bologna. With it the copy sent to the Bollandists in the year 1663 agrees entirely, as the abbot general of the canons of St. Saviour himself testified. These instruments above all we shall use in the Acts to be given here.
Particular usefulness has also been brought us by the quite large work of Giovanni Battista Melloni on the pious and illustrious men of Bologna [Atti o memorie degli uomini illustri in santità nati o morti in Bologna, class I, volume III, page 381, Bologna 1818.]. Of use also is Jacobilli in his work on the saints of Umbria, who celebrates Blessed Archangelo on this day, the 29th of October. More recent writers too have described the Life of our blessed one in special studies. In the year 1686 Valerio Zani Vita del B. Arc. Canetoli, Bologna 1686. discoursed on Blessed Archangelo in the Italian tongue, but published nothing that the older Life, to be given below, does not convey almost to the letter. There was also a Life of the blessed one written by an anonymous canon regular of St. Saviour, likewise composed in Italian and printed at Bologna in the year 1749. But the author is Trombelli, abbot of St. Mary of the Reno Gaet. Melzi, Dizionario di opere anonime, volume III, page 230..
[2] is kept in the month of April. In the martyrology for Canons Regular, appended to the Roman one, under the 17th day of April, we read: At Gubbio in Umbria, of blessed Archangelo, confessor, canon regular, illustrious for innocence of life, charity towards his neighbours and the gift of prophecy; whose body is religiously venerated in the church of St. Ambrose. Dr. Johann Stadler in his Lexicon of the saints Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon, volume I, page 301. doubts somewhat whether the Archangelo who is reserved by our predecessors to the 29th day of October is the same as the one whose death is recorded at the 16th day of April: especially since he knows no reason why he should be relegated to the end of October. But the question is easy: Blessed Archangelo de Caneto, or Canetuli, truly died on the 16th day of April, as will be shown below in the Life to be published; but our predecessors deferred him to the end of October, because Jacobilli had written that his feast was then celebrated at Gubbio. Yet whether he affirmed this rightly is doubtful. Certainly before the year 1748 no Office of Blessed Archangelo was recited; and now indeed his feast day is kept at Gubbio on the 16th day of April, among the Lateran canons of St. Saviour on the 17th day of April, at Bologna on the 13th day of May. Filippo Ferrari, though an Italian, omitted, which is rather surprising, the name of this most devout man in the catalogue of the saints who are not in the Roman Martyrology: Castellanus too passes him over in silence. But although our blessed one has escaped most martyrologists, there is no reason for us to doubt his holiness and cult: for often the veneration of some servant of God is contained within such narrow bounds that his holiness is unknown to most. And from this it follows that it is a work of so much labour to weave a catalogue of the saints complete in every part. To us, who devote ourselves wholly to a work of this kind, and seek out books from everywhere, both printed and written by hand, there often occur names of saints entirely unknown to us, whose Acts ought to have been given at the preceding days. This is the universal lot of human work.
[3] He is honoured with an Office. But the blessed canon was not neglected by his fellow-countrymen. For on the 2nd day of May 1617 a process was drawn up by ordinary authority by the vicar general of the bishop of Gubbio, to be presented to the apostolic see for obtaining the recitation of an office in honour of the blessed one. But since the petition was never afterwards put forward, no office was recited in his honour before about the middle of the eighteenth century Benedict XIV, de beatificatione, etc., book II, chapter 18, number 19.. Nevertheless Prospero Lambertini, when he was archbishop of Bologna, did not hesitate to write: Blessed Archangelo remains in ancient and known possession of cult, the Ordinaries knowing and tolerating it, indeed approving it Ibid.. The same, having been made supreme pontiff and having taken the name of Benedict XIV, not wishing to draw out delays, pronounced the cult of Blessed Archangelo to be legitimate, and by apostolic letters given on the 2nd day of October 1748 permitted his feast to be celebrated by the canons regular of St. Saviour with Mass and Office with proper lessons, of double rite a. Since very many have in their hands those lessons, as they are published in the proper Offices of the Clergy of Bologna and of the Lateran Canons, we choose to copy them from the Hagiologium Italicum Hagiolog. Ital., volume I, page 200., where they are found with the words somewhat changed: Archangelo was born at Bologna of the noble Canetoli family, who, devoted to piety from infancy, was preserved by divine help when his father and brothers were killed in the civil discords. As a youth he entered the Congregation of the canons regular of St. Saviour, and after a most praiseworthy completion of his novitiate he was sent to Venice, where, being put in charge of receiving guests in the monastery of St. Saviour, he had to minister to his father's murderer, who was lodging there: seeing and recognizing him, he entirely repressed the aroused motions of anger and vengeance with a great victory over himself. Distinguished with the priesthood, he was sent to the monastery of St. Ambrose outside Gubbio, where, living as if in solitude, exercising himself for a long time in meditation on heavenly things and in constant mortification of the body, he led an angelic life, caring most ardently for his own salvation and that of his neighbours by counsel and work. Illustrious for the gift of prophecy, he foretold to Giuliano de' Medici, then in exile, the thereafter most flourishing state of his family. Wherefore Pope Leo X, the brother of the same Giuliano, designated Archangelo archbishop of Florence; which dignity, however, he most constantly refused. Then, seized by a most grievous illness, having most religiously received the sacraments of the Church, he fell asleep in the Lord on the 16th day of April, in the year MDXIII. His body, carried with solemn pomp into the city of Gubbio, became renowned for miracles and, wonderfully incorrupt, is venerated with great veneration by the peoples.
[4] His Life was written by a canon regular, The Life which seems the most ancient of all, as having been written by a contemporary colleague, a canon regular, was first published by Prospero Lambertini, afterwards Benedict XIV, in his work on the beatification and canonization of the Servants of God. J. B. Melloni published the same; which had already been translated by Papebroch, and we have rendered it into Latin, taking care above all to follow the author's footsteps, if not in the words, at least in the sense. And first, that the biographer was a canon of St. Saviour becomes manifest from number 13, where it is said: OUR Fathers of St. Secundus, and a little above: The garments of the blessed one.. were partly given to the fire by some father of OURS, which show that the writer belonged to the aforesaid Order; for the monastery of St. Secundus, under which was the house of St. Ambrose, was under the jurisdiction of the canons of St. Saviour, as we shall show more fully below. Moreover the biographer himself says at the head of the writing that the Life was collected by a devout religious of the same Order and Congregation. a contemporary.
[5] And further, that this biographer was a contemporary of Blessed Archangelo is asserted especially by those who have written the Life of the blessed one more accurately; we have the studies of most of them. But equivalent to all proofs for us is the subscription of Brother Thomas of Fabriano, of the Third Order of Penance, a hermit dwelling at St. Nicholas. This Thomas is said in the Life, number 6, to be an unlettered man of the third Order of penance of St. Francis, who lived beside the church of St. Nicholas… This Brother Thomas related many pious actions of Father Brother Archangelo, and testified that by his help he had been made a good servant of God and had overcome many bitter diabolical temptations. There can be no doubt that the man who approved the Life by subscribing it is the same as the one who in the Ambrosian solitude was the friend and client of Blessed Archangelo. The Life to be given below was therefore composed before witnesses not only contemporary, but eyewitnesses and in a manner members of the household. Then the writing itself, in relating the miracles wrought after death, does not go beyond the year 1532 (number 17); hence it is plain that it was composed about the said year. It now follows that it is distant almost twenty years from the death of the blessed man, which, as will be shown below, took place in the year 1513. Many suitable witnesses therefore still survived, who had seen in person the things narrated and could accordingly give credit to the things that were related.
[6] The family of the blessed one, In the Life to be published below, number 1, the biographer says: The father of Father Dom Archangelo of Bologna was Facino, of the noble family of the Canetuli of Bologna. Indeed, that the family of the Caneti or Canetuli (for by both names
indeed, and by a third, Canedoli, it is designated) was a most noble family, very many documents demonstrate. Valerio Zani, who gave himself the name of Aurelio degli Anzi, teaches us in the Life of Blessed Archangelo which he published that the house of the Canetuli was illustrious in jurisprudence, in magistracies and in public works. Thus Cambio Canetuli already in the twelfth century sat on the first benches of the city magistracy b, and Giovanni, a distinguished jurisconsult, went on an embassy to Boniface IX, pontiff from the year 1389 to 1404 Melloni, Atti o Memorie, volume III, page 383, note.. This embassy was sent in the year 1392, when Boniface, taking it ill that the Bolognese had not shown the obedience owed to the apostolic see, excommunicated the magistrates. They pleaded the wars in which they had been involved; the Pontiff not only admitted the excuse, but heaped benefits on the city of Bologna Muzzi, Annali di Bologna, volume III, page 563.. In the episcopal list of Pavia we read that William Caneto, or de Caneto, ascended the see of Pavia in the year of Christ 1257: he ordered the feast of Corpus Christi, lately instituted by Urban IV, to be celebrated in his Church [Romualdo a S. Maria, Papia sacra, Part I, page 54. Ughelli, Italia sacra, volume I, column 1100.]. But whether he belonged to the family of the Canetuli may be doubted, because William is said to have been of Ticinum, and to have ruled the Church of his native place. Although this doubt seems to be evaded by saying that some branch of this family was planted also in the soil of Ticinum.
[7] eminent in nobility, In the Annals of Genoa of Giovanni Stella there occurs Marco Canedulo of Bologna, doctor of laws, who, having already discharged various offices at Genoa, was at length in the year 1500 named master of justice, that is, the supreme magistrate in pronouncing the law Muratori, Scriptores Rerum Italicarum, volume XVII, column 1274.. Thus at various times various Canetuli obtained honours. So indeed in the year 1378 Pietro, doctor of laws, was created a knight, that is, a knight of the collar: the Bolognese, says Matteo de' Griffoni, a contemporary, in the Memoriale Historicum Ibid., volume XVIII, column 191., recovered by armed force the Tower of Canuli and the castle of Cento, and at the entry two knights were made, namely the lord Pietro de Canitulo, doctor of laws, and the lord Niccolò Lighi. Whence it is plain that Pietro was a man distinguished not only in the gown but also in the soldier's cloak. I should judge him to be the same who in the church of St. Francis at the foot of the bell-tower built a mausoleum for himself and his descendants, on which these words are inscribed: The tomb of the most famous doctor of laws, D. Pietro de Canitulo, and of his descendants. In the same church there is also another monument of the Canetuli, namely their chapel, with an inscription which we render in Latin: This chapel was built by the noble and distinguished men M. Lambertino, knight and doctor of laws, and Matteo, brothers, and sons of the distinguished and eminent knight and doctor of laws M. Pietro de Canedulo, citizen of Bologna, 1419. Between the year 1378, in which Pietro was created a knight, and the erection of this chapel the interval is only forty years, and it can be said that this Pietro was the father of Lambertino and Matteo, and built the mausoleum Melloni, Atti o memorie, volume III, page 383, note..
[8] contends with the Bentivoglio, There were also other leading men of the family of the Canetuli, whom it would be long to enumerate. One, however, I shall add, because it seems to me to touch Blessed Archangelo directly. Namely, between the Canetuli and the Bentivoglio, who for some time ruled the Bolognese In Trombelli, Vita del B. Arcang., page 50, a very great rivalry was smouldering, until in the year of Christ 1445 it broke out into open slaughter. From this enmity followed the killing, as the Life has it at number 1, of the father of Blessed Archangelo Compare Melloni, volume III, page 383.. The tragedy is set out by Girolamo de' Borselli or Albertucci, of the Order of Preachers, a contemporary, who died in the year 1497. His father Pietro was killed by the Canetuli, to whom he was hostile: nor let anyone wonder, he says, if I place a common man among the nobles, for this was my father, I who write these things. Further, Girolamo writes these things Muratori, Scriptores, volume XXIII, column 882.: The Canetuli, struck with envy of Annibale Bentivoglio, began to think of his death. A conspiracy therefore having been formed by Ludovico and Bettozzo with the lord Niccolò of S. Domnino, Delfino de Aticone and the lord Francesco de' Ghislieri with many others, on the day of St. John the Baptist, at the hour of Terce, the said conspirators killed Annibale near the house of the counts of Brusculo, inflicting many wounds. The first who laid his hand to arms was the said Bettozzo de Canetulo.
[9] and is expelled from Bologna On that day, the parties rising against one another, namely those of the Bentivoglio and of the Canetuli, many were killed and a great slaughter was made. Annibale Bentivoglio being dead, the Canetuli immediately went towards the church of St. John the Baptist. And near the church of St. Isaiah, finding in the street three brothers, sons of the lord Ludovico de' Marescotti, Giovanni and Taddeo and Antenore, they killed them. But Galeazzo Marescotti, another of these brothers, when he had seen that he could not resist the adversaries because of their multitude, fled through the monastery of the nuns of St. Matthias, and crossing the gardens behind, came to his house, and taking up arms with his companions, came like a lion to fight manfully against the enemy with words and arms. Through the whole day of St. John the civil fight continued. Battista de Canetulo, a man of subtle wit and head of the Canetuli faction, was dragged out of a certain hiding-place and cruelly killed, dragged into the square of the city, and there, already dead, torn to pieces. In this fury Nestore de' Malvezzi too was killed; beside him Francesco de' Bianchi was killed, and Pietro de' Borselli or Albertucci, who, kindled with love of his country, seized arms and fought against the Canetuli as much as he could. Nor let anyone wonder if I place a common man among the nobles; for this was my father, I who write these things, and I wished to repay my father, if not as much as I owe, at least as much as I can. I return briefly to the history. The hours of Vespers having passed, the Canetuli gave way and were forced to leave the city. Of the two houses of the Canetuli and the Ghislieri an equimellum was made, and their movable goods were exposed to plunder, while their immovable goods were assigned to the treasury. And Annibale was buried in St. James of the Hermit Friars, where the image of a horse with its rider is carved.
[10] through their own fault. The cause of so great a calamity was the machination of the Canetuli. Annibale Bentivoglio certainly wished to live peaceably and to cultivate friendship; wherefore he promised his sister in marriage to Gaspare de Canetulo; but the aforesaid discord intervening, the betrothal was dissolved, and she was given in marriage to Gherardo Bevilacqua, count of Ferrara Ibid., column 881.. So the envy broke out afresh. The Canetuli, under the appearance of friendship, invited Annibale to be willing to stand as godfather at the baptism of one of the Ghislieri. When he had accepted, and was present in the church of St. John the Baptist on the 24th day of June, he was killed from ambush by the conspirators. The deadly hatred lasted at least until the year 1461: for in the cited Girolamo under this year we read Ibid., column 893.: Matteo, son of Galeotto Canetuli, a most handsome young man, dressed in women's clothes, was making his way to Rome, many women and servants accompanying him. He was killed in the territory of Pistoia by Raffaele of Pistoia, a stipendiary of the Bolognese. A cruel thing it seemed, and worthy of so great an assassin. I think that the killing of the father of Blessed Archangelo, of which the Life treats at number 1, happened some years later: for no mention of the proper name of our blessed one's father has met me. This is certain from what has been said, that the family of the Canetuli is to be reckoned among the leading houses of the city of Bologna. Assuredly, in the midst of the factions by which almost all the cities of Italy were then agitated, some families wishing to prevail over others, there were many crimes, even most atrocious ones; but where there are factions, there is scarcely anyone who knows on which side justice stands; and hence it may be understood how it was to the praise of the young Archangelo that, as is narrated at number 2 of the Life, he was able to repress the indignation conceived at the sight of the slayer of his family.
[11] The very great nobility of his mother. No less indeed was our blessed one's nobility on the mother's side, if what writers relate is true, that she was born of the race of the Caccianemici. Its honourable standing, already illustrious in the tenth century, became more illustrious when Pope Lucius II was raised to the supreme pontificate in the year 1144 [Moroni, Dizionario di Erudizione ecclesiastica, under Lucius II. Compare Muzzi, Annali di Bologna, volume I, page 87.]. Thereafter in all the historical monuments which treat of the city of Bologna we read continually that the Caccianemici were eminent among the leading families in mitres, in letters, in the gown and in the soldier's cloak. Although, further, the splendour of birth contributes nothing to anyone's holiness and merits, we have nevertheless thought fit to explain these things, because they pertain to the elucidation of historical matters.
ANNOTATA.
* The Annotations which have been added to the Preliminary Commentary were excerpted from the notes of one of our colleagues.
§ II. The year of the birth of Blessed Archangelo. His
entry into the Congregation of the Holy Saviour. The fortunes of the monastery of Gubbio. The Bull of Gregory XII. The body of Blessed Archangelo kept at Gubbio.
Blessed Archangelo, son of Facino or of Cristoforo, The father of Blessed Archangelo was Facino, whom they also call Facio, of the noble family of the Canetuli of Bologna. Many have held this tradition certain: for mostly they have called him Archangelo of Facio. Nevertheless there are notices which have called him Archangelo of Cristoforo. So certainly it is written in the catalogue of the canons who in the year 1485 Trombelli, page 51. inhabited the monastery of St. Anthony of Castello at Venice. Whence it may be that Facio is the name of the grandfather: namely that, his father having been killed while our blessed one was still of the most tender age, he borrowed his surname from his grandfather, who was his legal guardian and had to manage his domestic affairs. Thus the most holy man would have been the son of Cristoforo, the grandson of Facio a. The name of his mother is not found in the ancient documents which still exist; but Ludovico Jacobilli in the Hagiology of Umbria Vite de' Santi dell' Umbria, volume II, page 367. says that his mother was of the noble family of the Caccianemici; although Jacobilli, a writer of the seventeenth century, does not seem worthy of so much credit, yet he himself notes in the margin that he took these things from Acts written by hand by a certain companion of his: whence he has as surety a contemporary writer, that is, a companion of Blessed Archangelo.
[13] He seems to have been born At what time our blessed one was born is entirely obscure: we have only three things which can in some way extricate us from these difficulties: namely, that he was still a little child when, Bologna being agitated by factions, his father and brothers were killed; that, as his age matured, in the year 1484, he put on the habit of the canons regular, and that he died in the year 1513. If the age of Blessed Archangelo were known for certain, or in what year his father was killed, we could assign a time to his birth. This, however, is certain: in the year 1445 the Canetuli incurred public hatred, and, expelled from Bologna, were stripped of their fortunes. I should not believe that the father of Blessed Archangelo was killed at that time, because Archangelo, following the institute of the canons regular in the year 1484, would have been forty years old, which does not seem to agree with what is said at number 1 of the Life: As his age matured, seeing the labours and dangers of this world, which he had already in part experienced, … he resolved to embrace religion. These words certainly in no way suit a man of forty. And yet, when his father and brothers were killed, he was, as is said, still of tender age, but already had some years; so that in the year 1484 his age would already have gone beyond forty years.
[14] about the year 1460. The slaying of his father is therefore to be placed somewhat later. And opportunely there comes to mind the disaster of the family of the Caccianemici, which happened in the year 1472. A certain man, says Carlo Sigonio in his book on the Bishops of Bologna Opera omnia, volume III, column 515., a layman, sitting on a little ass and carrying a huge wooden cross in his hand, entered the city, and began to preach daily outside the churches, rebuking the foul crimes of men, foretelling the impending wrath of God and exhorting mortals to do penance. And so, drawn by admiration for the man, a huge number of men and women attached themselves to him; for, since he had a very rustic and mean garment, he took nothing from anyone except necessary food. Then on the seventh day before the Ides of December he left the city, having the day before shown that a huge evil was hanging over the citizens. Which indeed came to pass, the family of the Caccianemici being destroyed by their enemies near the fifth day before the Ides. These things from the chronicles. And since, as we said above, the father of Blessed Archangelo had married a Caccianemici, it could be that the father Canetulus perished in the year 1472. If that were so, it could in some way be established that our blessed one was born between the years 1460 and 1465. For then everything fits together very well: for in the year 1484, made a canon regular, that is, as his age matured, having already in part experienced the dangers of this world, he was about twenty years old when he bade farewell to the world: and having died in the year 1513, he died aged fifty years b.
[15] Made a canon regular, Already above, in the Acts of St. Stephen Agazzari at the 28th day of October, we have spoken of the Lateran canons regular of St. Saviour, whose institute Blessed Archangelo embraced, as we read at number I of the Life. Here nothing else occurs to us to say than about the monastery of St. Ambrose near Gubbio, which the blessed man judged to be chosen for himself above all others as a place of holy quiet. Near Gubbio there was formerly a hermitage, of which Mauro Sarti writes thus in his book on the Bishops of Gubbio De episcopis Eugubinis, page 185.: Of Pietro Gabrielli (bishop of Gubbio, who held the bishopric at least from the year 1326 to 1343) this is above all to be recorded, that he gathered some hermits, who were living without fixed laws in the neighbourhood of the city, to the very well-known place of St. Ambrose on a steep rock of the mountain near the city itself, where a church was either newly built or restored and was erected into a priory by the bishop himself. These things were first done in the year 1331. But afterwards, in the year 1342, Pietro, more and more solicitous for the discipline of that place, confirmed what had been done by him before, and proposed to the prior and chapter of St. Ambrose the Rule of St. Augustine to be observed, raising the oratory into a regular church and the place into a monastery. And for dress he assigned a scapular of woollen cloth of grey colour, and a cappa and tunic of the same colour, forbidding them to use linen cottas, or to be called canons. These things from his diploma, which was given in the year 1342, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of November, or rather on the 21st day of November, as J. B. Signi indeed writes in his excellent work on the canonical Order and state: in which much is to be read about the Ambrosian ascetery.
[16] he dwelt in the monastery of St. Ambrose The monastery remained in almost that state until the episcopate of Francesco Bili, who ruled the Church of Gubbio from the year 1406 to 1444 Ibid., page 205.. And while he held the see, says Mauro Sarti Ibid., page 206., the hermitage of St. Ambrose was reformed, where formerly a family of ascetics had been established by bishop Pietro Gabrielli. But some having been carried off by death, others perhaps having slipped away, not being able to bear the roughness and poverty of the place, there was scarcely one left, the superior of the place, Giovanni Reccolo of Gubbio, and he indeed worn out by old age. He had more than once dealt about restoring the Ambrosian college with Guidantonio, count of Urbino, son of count Antonio, to whom after his father's death the lordship of the city of Gubbio had come. He therefore taking care of it, and Gregory XII willing it, assigned the priory of St. Ambrose, for so they called it, to the congregation of canons regular of St. Saviour, then being born, or rather received into that place the first members of its institute, driven out of their own seats and fugitives. And it is wonderful how much splendour and dignity accrued to that place because of this, how much canonical discipline flourished there, how many excellent pupils that family produced in a very short time, who not only cultivated there the established manner of a holier life, but, called elsewhere also, propagated the reform of the canonical Order happily begun there… Now, the cited Sarti continues, the canons regular, having left that inhospitable rock where the monastery of St. Ambrose is situated, dwell at St. Secundus, a more convenient place and not far distant from the walls of the city, which they obtained from Calixtus III in the year 1455 Compare Lubin, Abbatiarum Italiæ brevis Notitia, page 123.
[17] dwelt in it; Of the stay of Blessed Archangelo in the monastery of St. Ambrose the biographer treats at number 4, where he says: it became known to him that there was at Gubbio the monastery of St. Ambrose, most suitable for following the solitary and contemplative life, in which there was no prior, but only two Brothers, who received food and clothing from the monastery of St. Secundus; because all the revenues and resources which the monastery of St. Ambrose enjoyed were the monastery of St. Secundus's; but because the monastery of St. Secundus was more capacious for inhabitants, the congregation granted to the monastery of St. Secundus all the revenues and resources. Calixtus III had granted the church of St. Secundus to the canons of St. Saviour in the year 1455 Ibid., loc. cit.; but the hermitage of St. Ambrose, which he knew to be secluded, since it was inhabited by only two canons, and therefore most suitable for the contemplation of heavenly things, our blessed one loved above all other places; indeed, as the cited Life has it, there … he built a little cell, separate from the common dwelling, in which he spent part of the day in prayer and contemplation. And the pious religious, as Mauro Sarti wrote in the year 1755 De episcopis Eugubinis, page 207., by no means neglect the cult of the ancient church of St. Ambrose, especially since there are laid up there the bodies of the blessed Francesco Nanni of Siena and Archangelo Cannetuli of Bologna; of whom the one flourished in remarkable holiness at the very beginning of the new congregation, the other somewhat later. Blessed Archangelo was also a benefactor to the Ambrosian college; for, having refused the archbishopric of Florence offered him by Giuliano de' Medici, he asked only this, as is read in the Life at number 10, that the monastery of St. Ambrose should have as much in revenues as would suffice for maintaining five or six Brothers, and also that stations and indulgences to be gained both outside and inside Rome should be granted to the church of St. Ambrose. Giuliano promised him that he would see to the matter to the best of his ability; that he might be secure about his petition; that he would deal with the Pontiff so that it might be satisfied Compare Trombelli, page 58 and following..
[18] which Gregory XII Since, further, we have spoken of the monastery of St. Ambrose, we think it worth while to bring forward the bull of Gregory XII, which we cite from the Bullarium of the canons regular, of the following tenor Bullarium canonicorum regularium Sanctissimi Salvatoris, volume I, page 76.: Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for the future memory of the matter. The fragrance of sacred religion, which among our beloved sons, the prior and canons of the priory of St. Saviour of the Wood of the lake, of the Order of St. Augustine, canons regular called Brothers, of the diocese of Siena, belonging to us and the Roman Church with no intermediary, took from us the beginnings of a salutary institution, favourably pleads with the apostolic see that the prior and canons of the aforesaid priory, called Brothers, be adorned by the apostolic see with a distinguished gift of honour, and enjoy the prerogative of a singular favour and privilege. Hence it is that, it having lately been brought to our notice that a certain one, formerly at that time bishop of Gubbio, erected into a priory the Hermitage, or house of St. Ambrose, situated on the mountain above the Borgo della Foce outside the walls of Gubbio, and clothed in a certain regular habit some hermits then of no Order, who were showing service to the Most High in this hermitage, and willed that those hermits should from then on be called Brothers of St. Ambrose, and should observe the rule of St. Augustine and live under it; and which priory
should be governed for all future times by a prior to be elected by such Brothers and confirmed by the bishop of Gubbio existing for the time; and also that the same prior and Brothers should be bound to deliver every year to the same bishop one pound of wax as a sign of subjection and of recognition of his superiority and lordship, and also to pay and bear in perpetuity tithes and other impositions and burdens, as secular clerics pay; and that it was doubted by some whether such an erection, made by the said bishop (as is premised), subsisted in law; and nevertheless that no one has remained in the aforesaid priory except our beloved son Giovanni, prior of the same priory, who, because he is now old, desires to spend the rest of his life with the said prior and canons called Brothers, who (as is premised) took from us the beginnings of a regular Order and habit.
[19] converted into a college of canons We, of our own motion, not at the instance of a petition offered on this matter by the prior and canons themselves, called Brothers, or by any other for them, but of our mere liberality, wishing to provide more salutarily concerning the foregoing: by apostolic authority we grant and assign to the same prior and canons of St. Saviour, called Brothers, the hermitage or house of this kind, erected into the priory of St. Ambrose, as is stated before, with all and each of its appurtenances, rights and jurisdictions; and by the same authority we extinguish and suppress in it the habit and Order or observance granted by the said bishop, as is premised, to the said hermits or Brothers of St. Ambrose, if there are any; and we erect that hermitage or house or priory into a conventual priory of such canons regular of St. Saviour, called Brothers; and we will that it be governed for all future times by a prior to be elected by the prior and canons called such Brothers (who are to wear a white rochet of linen cloth under the scapular, and above it a cappa of grey colour of rough wool, after the fashion of the cappas of the lay brothers of the Carthusian Order, according to our ordinance given them at another time), and to be presented to the diocesan of the place or to his vicar in spirituals. And moreover, so that the said prior and canons, called Brothers, may be secure from all disturbance, and may not be assailed by any obstacles, we will and by the aforesaid authority grant and decree by these presents that such a prior, thus elected and presented to the same bishop or vicar, be understood to be and be by that very fact confirmed by the apostolic see, and may freely and lawfully have and exercise the care, rule, government and administration of the same priory, both in spirituals and in temporals, as if he had been duly and lawfully confirmed by letters of the same see.
[20] regular, Further, desiring that the same prior and canons, called Brothers, may serve the Most High in a spirit of humility the more devoutly the more they feel themselves fortified by the same see with the protection of a fuller favour; the conventual priory of this kind erected by us, as is stated before, and also the aforesaid prior and canons, called Brothers, present and those who shall be for the time, with their lay brothers and the persons ministering or serving them, present and future, and all and each of the appurtenances, rights and jurisdictions above mentioned, the goods movable and immovable belonging in any way to the aforesaid priory, which, as is stated before, they possess, and which, the Lord granting, such prior and canons, called Brothers, may in future acquire by the bounty of kings or the offering of princes, or otherwise by the pious grant or bestowal of the faithful, or by other just titles, we exempt and entirely and forthwith free from all superiority, lordship and jurisdiction of the aforesaid bishop and his chapter and of any other superiors whatever, secular and regular, and of any judges whatever, and also from the prescribed payment of one pound of wax, and from the rendering and payment or bearing of the aforesaid tithes, impositions and burdens, and we take them immediately under the protection of Blessed Peter and the apostolic see and our own, and subject and submit them wholly and entirely to the same St. Peter and the see and to us; so that the bishop, chapter, superiors and such judges, or any other person, of whatever ecclesiastical or worldly dignity he may shine, may not promulgate any sentences of excommunication, suspension or interdict or other sentences against the priory or the prior or canons, called Brothers, lay brothers and such persons, as being wholly free or exempt, or exercise any jurisdiction, ordinary or even delegated:
[21] and adorned with benefits, And nevertheless, to the aforesaid prior and canons, called Brothers, and to such lay brothers and persons living in the same priory, present and future, we grant by the gift of a fuller grace that they may freely and lawfully use and enjoy all the privileges, indulgences and graces granted by the apostolic see to the same Order of canons regular, which other canons regular or their places, wherever established, possess and enjoy; notwithstanding the constitution of Pope Innocent IV of happy memory, our predecessor, concerning the exempt, which begins "Volentes etc.," and other apostolic constitutions and ordinances and the statutes and customs of the said Order and any other things to the contrary whatever. For we decree null and void, and will to be of no force or moment, the sentences of excommunication, suspension and interdict and other sentences and penalties and processes which may happen to be passed or made or promulgated against the prior, canons, called Brothers, lay brothers and persons, and such a priory, contrary to the tenor of these presents. Let no man therefore, etc. Given at Rimini on the ninth day before the Kalends of October, in the eighth year of our pontificate, namely of the Lord's Incarnation 1414. The reader will easily notice that in the cited bull, after the words "canons regular," called Brothers is repeated even to affectation: the reason for this repetition is given by Giuseppe Mozzagrugno Narratio rerum gestarum canonicorum regularium, book V, folio 34.: because, he says, besides being canons regular, they are also Brothers by the congregation. Indeed at that time there were several varieties of canons regular, especially when the universal Church was divided among three pontiffs, of whom one was Gregory XII.
[22] The body of Blessed Archangelo to Gubbio But although it seems to follow from what has been said that the Ambrosian college is the head, or at least as it were the beginning, from which the whole congregation was afterwards propagated, yet it did not remain so long in the state of a regular monastery, but was soon deserted, as appears clearly from the Life of Blessed Archangelo, number 4, indeed it was made subject to the monastery of St. Secundus near Gubbio (the Acts of St. Secundus, where his relics are treated of, our predecessors gave at the 1st day of June Act. SS., volume I of June, page 51.. This monastery in a manner absorbed the Ambrosian one, inasmuch as the latter depended entirely for food and clothing on that of St. Secundus, which, as was said above at number 17, possessed all the revenues and goods. Nevertheless one or two canons remained at St. Ambrose, as it were guardians of the tomb of Blessed Archangelo and of Francesco Nanni, whom, says Mauro Sarti De Episcopis Eugubinis, Preface, page XCV., a Sienese by birth, the Congregation of canons regular of St. Saviour acknowledges as it were as a second parent together with Blessed Stephen Agazzari, likewise a Sienese. Broken by innumerable labours and exercises of penance, he completed the course of his life at Fabriano. But his pious brethren, having obtained the hermitage of St. Ambrose near Gubbio, placed his sacred bones there, where they rest to this day. He shares a common tomb with our Blessed Archangelo (who, having died at Castiglione, was translated to Gubbio). Here is the inscription, carved in gold letters In Trombelli, page 44..
TO GOD, BEST AND GREATEST.
OF THE BLESSED CANONS
OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR,
FRANCESCO NANNI OF SIENA
AND ARCHANGELO
CANETULI
OF BOLOGNA,
THE BODIES, TO BE VENERATED BY US, HERE
REST.
BUT THEIR SOULS
IN EVERLASTING JOYS IN HEAVEN
DELIGHT.
AGOSTINO ZALOTTI
OF MIRANDOLA HAD IT MADE.
IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD MDXCI.
[23] But the translation of the body of Blessed Archangelo was not without hindrances, translated the people of Castiglione wishing to keep this treasure, and especially the guardian of the monastery of St. Francis, as is related in the Life at number 13, putting an obstacle in the way, since he claimed as his own what had been committed to him as a deposit. At the same number we see that the obstinacy of the guardian was at length overcome. But it is false that the translation was celebrated, as is said there, about the end of the month of October. For there exists a letter written by Giuliano de' Medici, dated the 14th day of November 1513, in which he asks of the supreme magistrate of Castiglion Aretino that he not prevent Fr. Antonio Maria from taking away the body of the blessed man, so that it may obtain burial at Gubbio. From this letter it becomes manifest that the body of Blessed Archangelo rested at Castiglione at least until the middle of November, and from the chronicle of Girolamo of Venice Ibid., page 65. we are taught that it was brought to the house of St. Ambrose on the 3rd day of December of the year 1513. Hence Giovanni Battista Melloni contends that neither Giuliano de' Medici nor the chronicle of Gubbio could have erred, and that therefore the feast of the translation was fixed at the end of October because at that time of year the concourse of the people was easier. In winter indeed the road which led to St. Ambrose was arduous Melloni, Uomini illustri, volume III, page 405..
[24] is renowned for miracles Scarcely had the sacred body been brought to Gubbio when the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beneath which it was laid, began to be frequented by the people and adorned with many votive offerings and tablets. The body was clothed in a precious cloth of white colour and covered with a silk veil; it too, incorrupt, gave forth a marvellous odour [Compare Benedict XIV, De Servorum Dei Beatificatione et canonizatione, book IV, part I, chapter 31, number 22 and following.]. Of which thing the witnesses were many and various. Sebastiano Branconi, vicar of St. Ambrose, affirms in the process of the year 1617 that the body was preserved whole, incorrupt, most sweetly fragrant. The same testimony was given by Giuseppe Battazzi, prior of St. Secundus, Ercolano Flori, prior of St. Ambrose, Giacomo Balestri and Golino Ubaldi Golini. This fame of holiness and public cult Giovanni Battista Domenichi had proclaimed already before: Of the praises of this man (Archangelo), he says, I have less to say, because the many miracles which followed afterwards have proved the admirable holiness both of the living and of the dead man. Both the excellence and the multitude of which the city of Gubbio partly knows, and partly those tablets indicate, and the signs of a grateful mind, very many of which, from many who received a benefit, are seen hung upon the walls Melloni, volume III, page 419..
[25] and is venerated. Since, further, the body was whole and incorrupt, no relics of it existed except certain garments. But a certain canon of St. Saviour, Candido Padoano, a native of Brescia, burning with desire for a small piece of the sacred body, about the year 1685, when he was alone in the church, tore off a great part of his ear, which because of the position of the head was not visible to those looking on, and carried it with him to Brescia. But soon seized by a fever incurable by human remedies, he understood that the evil came from the sacrilegious theft: wherefore, when he had vowed that he would go on foot to bring back the torn-off ear, from the disease
he was relieved Ibid., page 415.. This pledge was afterwards given to the church of St. Saviour at Bologna, and enclosed in a silver ostensory, which is exposed in public on appointed days Ibid., page 420.. c In the civic statute of the city of Gubbio, of what year is not known, although it was made already before the year 1624, it is prescribed that the magistrates go to certain churches, and there be present at the sacred mysteries, and pray humbly for the safety of the whole people. Among the designated churches is also St. Ambrose, because, says the statute, there rest the bodies of the blessed Archangelo and Francesco of Siena Melloni, page 420. d. The remaining matters will be illustrated in the Annotations to the Life.
ANNOTATA.
LIFE OF BL. ARCHANGELO CANETI, CANON REGULAR, AT GUBBIO.
Angelus Canetulus, canon regular of St. Saviour, at Bologna. (B.)
aBY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR.
CHAPTER ONE.
The noble lineage of the blessed one; his dwelling in various houses; he foretells the pontificate of Leo X; he refuses the archbishopric of Florence.
Blessed Archangelo, made a canon, The father of Father Dom b Archangelo of Bologna was Facino, of the noble family of the Canetuli of Bologna. From his boyhood years he was always devout and pious, and much given to divine worship. While he was still of tender age, the city of Bologna being troubled by factions, his father and brothers were killed c. As his age matured, seeing the labours and dangers of this world, which he had already in part experienced, and the daily snares of the devil, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he resolved to embrace religion, and to put on the habit of the canons regular in the Congregation of the most holy Saviour; which he received devoutly and holily in the year 1484. And it happened that he was sent under obedience to Venice, to the monastery of the most holy Saviour d. And the prelate of this monastery, seeing the integrity of his life, his pious actions and excellent conduct, committed to him, though a youth, the office of receiving guests; towards whom he exercised the office of Martha with every kind of charity.
[2] he ministers to his father's slayer. And it happened at that time that the slayers of his father, who had long been living at Venice and were on the most familiar terms with the prelate of the monastery, were invited by him to a banquet, and Archangelo, by his office of caring for the guests, served them at table. And on considering the guests more often, he recognized that one of them was the one who had brought death on his father: whence he was much troubled, and the demon put into him the thought of exacting punishment from him for his kinsmen. But the pious Brother Archangelo, fearing God more than the world, wished, God helping, to overcome the diabolical temptation wickedly put into him; when namely he felt that his countenance was disturbed by fervent anger, feigning a sudden indisposition, he withdrew from serving at table, so as not to see the slayer of his family. Thus with divine help he fled and overcame the temptation to vengeance, which, at the devil's instigation, he could easily have carried out. When dinner was finished and the guests dismissed, the prelate went to Archangelo, to inquire about his illness: and he set out the cause of his flight; at which the prelate greatly wondered and much praised his constancy.
[3] He dwells in various houses, Advancing daily from good to better in his holy purpose, and in continual devotion and humility, he was made a priest. With what devotion and humility he received this priestly dignity, of which he thought himself unworthy, I forbear to explain in words. And seeing that in converse with the Brothers the fervour of his good purpose was growing lukewarm, because he desired and longed for solitary places, so that he might better give himself to the spiritual life, he was ordered to dwell in the monastery of St. Anthony at Venice e, where he remained three years; then, sent to St. Saviour's, also at Venice, he stayed there five years: afterwards he returned to St. Anthony's, where he stayed two years; at length he remained three years in the monastery of Treviso f. And although such changes of dwelling were heavy and troublesome to him, yet he never turned aside from his good purpose; never, for the sake of recreating his mind, was he absent by day or by night from the office of the choir for praising God, or did he omit the other institutes of his Congregation: daily, out of his devotion, he celebrated Mass, and besought God to give him patience and to prepare for him in some place a solitary dwelling, in which he might be free for himself and better give himself to devotion and prayer.
[4] but he loves the Ambrosian house. It became known to him that there was at Gubbio our monastery of St. Ambrose, most suitable by its situation for following the solitary and contemplative life g, in which there was then no prior, but only two Brothers, who received food and clothing from the monastery of St. Secundus, because all the revenues and resources which the monastery of St. Secundus enjoyed were the monastery of St. Ambrose's; but because the monastery of St. Secundus was more capacious for inhabitants, the congregation granted to this very monastery all the revenues and resources. When Archangelo had understood this, he most urgently entreated the most reverend Father General and the visitors that of their kindness they would permit him to go to and dwell in the said monastery of St. Ambrose, so that he might better exercise himself in divine service. In the year 1498, therefore, he obtained this grace, and remained there seven continuous years, always given to fasts, vigils and prayer, to abstinences also and meditations, and for part of the day to hard bodily labours, for the mortification of the flesh, and so as to bring the body into spiritual servitude. In the same place he dug and built for his convenience a little cistern, whose rim was afterwards restored about the year 1502 h: there too he built a little cell i, separate from the common dwelling, in which he spent part of the day in prayer and contemplation.
[5] Removed from it, The devil, the enemy of the human race, perceiving his assiduous diligence in the service of the Most High, persuaded the Reverend Fathers, some of his rivals wickedly suggesting certain calumnies against Brother Archangelo, that he should be removed from St. Ambrose's; and because man by nature is of his own accord more prone to believe evil than good, the lie prevailed over the truth. In the year 1505 he was ordered by holy obedience by the Reverend Fathers to go to the monastery of St. Saviour at Venice, and he lived there one year, always serving the Lord God with his usual ardour. But in the year 1506 the Reverend Fathers, having clearly perceived the integrity of his life
and his most approved conduct, appointed him vicar of our monastery of San Daniele in Monte, ten miles distant from Padua k, although he was reluctant and unwilling; in which place he lived for one year. Thence he was made vicar of the monastery of the Island, seven miles distant from Vicenza l, where he lived the two following years 1507 and 1508. But he was never desirous of such an office, any more than of any other dignity, and, casting away all ambition and despising and trampling underfoot every dignity, he had one mind and one desire, the solitary life and quiet of soul, so that he might be able to join himself more closely to God his Creator. He desired nothing else, longed for nothing else than the dwelling of St. Ambrose, since he knew it to be most suitable and most convenient (as it really is) for the contemplative life, to which he was borne by his good will and desire. To this counsel, therefore, and just petition the excellent and reverend Fathers of that time wished to comply, being fully persuaded that the calumnies of his rivals were most false, and trusting that the most ardent prayers of the servant of God would redound to the good of the Congregation.
[6] after a few years he returns there. In the year 1509, therefore, he was sent back to the monastery of St. Ambrose with his companion Fr. Antonio Maria of Padua, and in the same place, after his custom and more inflamed with divine love than before, day and night without intermission he persisted in prayer and the holy works of the spiritual life. There was then a hermit named Fr. Thomas of Fabriano m, an unlettered man of the third Order of penance of St. Francis, who lived beside the church of St. Nicholas in a little house near the monastery, long since given to him with a little garden. He had once been a wicked man, but afterwards had withdrawn into solitude. Having heard the good fame of Fr. Archangelo, he sought his friendship; wherefore he came daily to St. Ambrose's to be present at the holy sacrifice, which Fr. Archangelo too celebrated daily. And familiarity having been contracted, they often after the sacrifice exchanged spiritual conversations, and he confessed his sins to Fr. Archangelo. So far did he advance in the spiritual life by the familiarity and exhortations, admonitions and examples of the devout Father Fr. Archangelo, that from a wolf he became a lamb and was even thought in the city of Gubbio a very religious man. This Brother Thomas related many pious actions of Father Fr. Archangelo, and testified that by his help he had been made a good servant of God and had overcome many bitter diabolical temptations. And day by day the fame of Fr. Archangelo grew, who shone before all with excellent examples and holy conversations, by which he gave spiritual gladness wonderfully to all; especially to the princesses of Urbino, Elisabetta Gonzaga, widow of duke Guidobaldo, second duke of Urbino n, and Emilia, of the house of Pio, wife of Antonio da Montefeltro o; to whom he was most pleasing and who placed great confidence in him because of his holy life, which they both saw and heard related by others.
[7] He aids many with help, The princess Emilia offered to the monastery of St. Ambrose the whole divine office, printed and distinguished with musical notes and bound in red leather. Many other persons too in their tribulations and hardships had recourse to him, and he inspired all with hope and consolation, so that each went away eager and glad, because the things he foretold took effect; whence many attributed to him a prophetic spirit. As Fr. Thomas the hermit relates, Francesco Maria, duke of Urbino [p], having learned of the good fame of Fr. Archangelo, who had foretold many things to him, as one who was believed to have a prophetic spirit, since he was inflamed with great faith and devotion, and was involved in a dangerous war, about the outcome of which he was anxious, sent a certain faithful man of his to Gubbio to Blessed Archangelo to ask of him for himself the help of counsel and prayers. Fr. Archangelo answered that he was a sinful man, and did not deserve to be heard; yet he promised that he would show this charity and obedience, and ordered the messenger to return the next day to St. Ambrose's. Blessed Archangelo withdrew to pray, and persevered in prayer nine continuous hours. The next day he commanded the messenger to tell the duke that all would turn out prosperously; and so it came to pass.
[8] also foretelling the future As a lighted lamp cannot be hidden, so daily the fame of Fr. Archangelo shone forth the more. There was a certain physician, then doctor of the city of Gubbio, from Città di Castello [q], named Antonio, son of Niccolò Acquisti, who had moved there with his whole family: he had contracted a friendship with Fr. Archangelo on the occasion of some illness; whence he would of his own accord converse at times with Fr. Archangelo, especially because he heard that he was of excellent life. This Antonio also had a wife called Mattia, and a daughter-in-law called Maria Cristofora, wife of his son Baldo. Both were venerable, devout and pious women, who through Antonio had formed an acquaintance with a nun of the monastery of the Holy Spirit at Gubbio [r], she too very devout and having a reputation for holiness: with which nun they conversed and set out to her their miseries, and at the same time their desire of seeing and hearing Archangelo, because they knew that he was of holy life, but one who in no way dealt with women. The nun replied: "Whenever you wish to speak with him, I will give you a note, and although I have never seen him or spoken to him, yet when my note is offered in my name, you will see him and speak with him." The devout women betook themselves to St. Ambrose's and, the note having been shown, Archangelo came to the door, with great courtesy and most kindly heard their hardships and cares, and consoled them, so that they returned home rejoicing, and whatever he foretold came to pass. Dom Antonio Acquisti had a daughter whom he wished to settle in marriage, though she preferred the monastic state to the secular. Archangelo often told both father and mother that God wished this daughter as a virgin for Himself; but they put no faith at all in his words. And so, the day of the betrothal having been fixed, the girl fell ill; whence a few days after she died a bride of Christ, as the servant of God had foretold.
[9] to Giuliano de' Medici When the magnificent Giuliano de' Medici [s], brother of Pope Leo X [t], was staying at the court of Urbino, where there were many illustrious, pious and learned men, he himself being an exile from Florence because of civil disturbances, he heard much of the holiness of Fr. Archangelo; especially from the illustrious ladies, the duchess Elisabetta and Emilia; whence they exhorted him to meet Archangelo at Gubbio, as he would certainly receive great consolation. The magnificent Giuliano, not wishing to go against the exhortations of other friends also, betook himself to Gubbio to see the servant of God: and so he set out to him all his calamities and hardships, bewailing his misfortune with many words. Archangelo, having heard everything, consoled him, bidding him be of good heart, and place all his confidence in Christ the Lord, and return the next day to St. Ambrose's; and after many discourses the magnificent Giuliano went away filled with consolation. The following day he returned, and after spiritual conversations Archangelo said: "Take comfort in the Lord God and hope in Him; know that you will shortly receive consolation, for your house will be exalted more than ever before, and all tribulation will be turned into joy and gladness." Not long after, his brother was proclaimed pope, and named Leo X. The magnificent Giuliano returned to Florence with glory and pomp. And remembering the things which Archangelo had foretold, since the archbishop of Florence too had then died, the magnificent Giuliano, out of the generosity of his mind and the memory of benefits conferred, sent to Gubbio a servant with money and horses, to admonish Archangelo that, with no excuse interposed, he should come to Florence. Arriving there, he was most kindly received by the prelate in the monastery of San Donato in Scopeto [u]. Refreshed by a little rest, he went to the magnificent Giuliano; with how much joy and love he was received by him cannot easily be told. After many discourses, at length he said that the archbishop of Florence was dead and that he desired that Archangelo should accept that archbishopric [w].
[10] He refuses the archbishopric. Father Archangelo, who in no way longed for or desired such offices and honours, refused entirely, saying that he was wholly unfit for so great a dignity; and so he resisted all attempts, as one who had trampled on the honour and glory of the world, knowing also how heavy and of how great moment is the office of a pastor of souls, since an account must be rendered of the sheep committed to him. One thing he wished for himself, namely that the monastery of St. Ambrose should have as much in revenues as would suffice for maintaining five or six Brothers; and also that stations and indulgences to be gained both inside and outside Rome should be granted to the church of St. Ambrose. Giuliano promised him that he would see to the matter to the best of his ability; that he might be secure about his petition, that he would deal with the Pontiff so that it might be satisfied: and if he wanted anything else, let him ask freely. Archangelo replied that he then desired nothing more; and accordingly after a very few days he wished to return to his accustomed quiet and contemplation. Having therefore received leave to depart, he set out on the road with his companion Fr. Antonio Maria of Padua to return to St. Ambrose's.
ANNOTATA.
p. Francesco Maria della Rovere succeeded his maternal uncle Guidobaldo and ruled the duchy of Urbino for thirty years, from the year 1508 to 1538. But what was the reason why Francesco Maria thought that Blessed Archangelo should be consulted, I do not dare to say definitely: the duke of Urbino was, under Pope Julius II, his paternal uncle, supreme commander of the pontifical army, in the war waged with the Venetians, which he finished rather quickly, then in the war undertaken against the duke of Ferrara and the French, which did not turn out well; and hence it is understood that he was not without anxiety about the fortune of war [Ugolini, Duchi d'Urbino, volume II, page 170 and following, page 179 and following.].
q. Castello, or more often Castiglion Aretino, today commonly called Castiglion Fiorentino, was formerly called simply Castiglione. That town is almost midway between Arezzo, to whose diocese it belongs, and Cortona Repetti, Dizionario Geografico della Toscana, under Castiglion Fiorentino..
r. To Antonio Severi, who held the see of Gubbio from the year 1444 to 1472, Sarti De Episcopis Eugubinis, page 208. attributes that from various little monasteries which were outside the city, in deserted places or certainly inconvenient ones and not very suitable for the dwelling of nuns, virgins consecrated to God in no small number moved into the city to the Holy Spirit, to govern whom Francesca of Castel Durante, a woman illustrious for holiness, was given, through the care of Federico, prince of Urbino.
s. Giuliano de' Medici, the third-born son of Lorenzo I, born in the year 1478, died in the year 1516. He began to govern the Florentine republic in the year 1512. Before this year he must have visited our Archangelo, when he was living in exile at Urbino; but since the blessed man foretold to Giuliano (number 9 of the Life) that he would shortly receive consolation, this conversation of the prince with the solitary man is to be placed about the year 1511.
t. Leo X was created pontiff on the 11th day of March 1513: but Blessed Archangelo survived the creation of Leo by scarcely one month, having died namely on the 16th of April of the same year.
u. The monastery of San Donato, which Jacobilli Santi dell' Umbria, volume II, page 366. calls of Palpiano, and which is commonly called Scopeto, was granted in the year 1420 to the Canons Regular of St. Saviour: whence the name of Scopetini clung to them.
w. He who at this time ruled the Church of Florence was Cosimo de' Pazzi, elected in the year 1508 on the 5th day of July, and he died suddenly on the 9th day of April 1513: by a printer's fault the year 1515 is put; for Ughelli himself, in whose work the error occurs Italia sacra, volume III, column 183., says that his successor Giulio de' Medici, afterwards Roman pontiff (whose name was Clement VII), entered upon the archbishopric of Florence in the year 1513. But Giovanni Battista Melloni, in his Work, judges that the dealings with Giuliano de' Medici and the rest narrated cannot be compressed into a few days: namely between the 9th day of April, on which the archbishop died, and the 16th, on which Blessed Archangelo died. In very truth, how could it happen that in so short a space the blessed man should be summoned by Giuliano; rest a little at San Donato; refuse, after many discourses, the archbishopric of Florence offered to him by the prince; then, having stayed a few days at Florence, obtain leave to depart, and finally, seized by fever, lie sick for some days? Trombelli tried to untie the knot Vita del B. Arcang., page 53 and following., conjecturing either that the death of the archbishop was not rightly referred by Ughelli to the 9th day of April; or that Blessed Archangelo was summoned to Florence when Cosimo Pazzi was not yet dead, but so affected that death already seemed certain: so indeed, he thinks, the words of the Life are to be interpreted: At that time the archbishop of Florence died (venne a mori) came to die and Giuliano sent a servant to Gubbio. Melloni too goes over to this view Memorie, volume III, page 398, note.; which however we do not think should be followed. For Cosimo was ill for a short time, indeed died almost suddenly. For Ughelli writes Italia sacra, volume III, column 183.: The Florentines had appointed him to Pope Leo X (elected on the 11th day of March 1509), to whom he was related by marriage; but an untimely death snatched him away when he was ready and almost girded for the journey. We abstain from proposing other conjectures, since they have no greater authority.
CHAPTER II.
Seized with fever, he dies holily, and is honourably buried; he is renowned for miracles.
Seized with fever, On the way he fell into a fever, so that he could scarcely reach Castiglion Aretino. There he betook himself with confidence to the house of Baldo, son of Dom Antonio Acquisti, who was already dead, and he was received with all goodwill both by Baldo and by his mother Mattia and his wife Cristofora, who had known him before at Gubbio. And Baldo and his family assiduously supplied him, with incredible charity, with whatever his health required. While he lay thus sick, Mattia said familiarly in the course of conversation: "Father, I fear, according to what the physicians say, that I shall become blind: I would rather choose death than blindness, for I do not feel myself equal to bearing patiently so great an infirmity." She asked therefore that he would commend her to God, and often said that she preferred death to life with such an infirmity. Archangelo answered: "Since you would rather die than lose the light of your eyes, I hope the Lord will grant you the grace you ask." And at the time when she began to grow more dim of sight, she contracted the disease from which she shortly died; and all the household remembered Archangelo's prediction. Further, when Baldo complained to Archangelo that his mother was harsh and troublesome both towards himself and towards his children, he answered: "Son, bear this patiently, and take care of your mother for the love of God; she will not be a vexation to you for long." And, as has been said above, she shortly died.
[12] he dies, The fever increased daily and the disease grew more grievous, although nothing was lacking from physicians, remedies and the assiduous care shown by the aforesaid women. And knowing that the end of his life was at hand, he said to the women: "My mothers and sisters, Mattia and Cristofora, for only a short time more will you give me food." They answered timidly: "Perhaps we do not do enough, but we will take on other women, who may serve you better than we according to your will." Archangelo answered: "The care spent on me in service and food is amply sufficient: the Lord God will give you a reward for me." Thus affected in his sickness, and knowing that the last day of his life was at hand, he called Antonio Maria, his companion, and said: "Go and write in my name a final letter to the Reverend Father general, and likewise a last one to the lord duke of Urbino." What both contained could not be found out. And when Fr. Antonio Maria had gone away to carry out the command obediently, he often ordered him to finish the matter very quickly, because he was now on the point of giving back his soul to the Creator. At length, before his companion had finished the letters, he called him to help him in dressing; having put on his garments and taken his staff, he sat down and asked his companion that the commendations of the soul be made (for he had already received the last sacraments before), to which he answered: "Amen": and saying: "Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit," he expired, giving back his soul to God, on the 16th day of April.
[13] and is translated to Gubbio. On the following day, the 17th of April, Baldo Acquisti prepared, according to Christian custom, honourable funeral rites in the church of St. Francis, with Masses and as many religious as he could have both inside and outside Castello. The body was not covered with earth in that church; but they built a tomb in which it was laid with great honour. Certain of his garments, which had remained in Baldo's house, were partly eaten by moths, are partly preserved by some for the sake of devotion, and were partly burned in the fire by a certain Father of ours. There were left there his staff, and his linen drawers and stockings, entirely whole from the feet to the girdle, all of which have been preserved until now in memory of Archangelo. Our Fathers of St. Secundus and the city, having heard of his death, strove that the body be translated to Gubbio: but before the coffin could be lifted from the church of St. Francis of Castiglione, where it had been deposited, it was necessary to give to the guardian of the said monastery, named Marco, three ducats by way of reward for the love of God. So they set out honourably from Castiglione, and along the road by which they passed great honour was shown, as was fitting and as Archangelo's life deserved. When the consuls of the city, who were then sitting in the common hall, learned that the funeral was approaching, with the consent of all the magistrates they ordered, because of the odour of good life which he had always spread, that all the clergy, priests, monks and confraternities should go out to meet the sacred body, and show it those honours which befitted so great a holiness. And our Brothers with Fr. Antonio Maria, who had never left the funeral on the journey, with the rest of the religious who were present at Gubbio, accompanied the sacred body with great pomp and the applause of the whole city as far as the monastery of St. Ambrose, by a road which, as it then was, was steep and rugged, and there the sacred body was laid in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary with great joy about the end of the month of October of the year 1513.
[14] Very many, having made a vow, A certain Francesco b of Cortona, a workman with the Brothers of St. Peter at Gubbio, who lived in the place called Puchelli, a suburban village of the city, crippled in one leg and walking supported on two sticks, commended himself to Blessed Archangelo while his body was being brought to St. Ambrose's, and joined those going in procession, and with great fervour of devotion besought him that he might be restored to health; before the body reached the church, by the merits of the blessed one he was freed from his ill. And leaving his sticks, he returned home well, as if he had never suffered anything. This happened in the year 1513. The same man afterwards, having again made a vow, was freed from a hernia. Fr. Silvestro of the third Order of St. Francis in the monastery of St. Nicholas, beside St. Ambrose's, wholly ruptured with several hernias, while he was accompanying Blessed Archangelo to the tomb, vowed with great devotion that, if he were healed, he would make a tablet to be fixed to the tomb: the vow having been made, he was healed by the merits of the blessed one. From the same infirmity the nephew of Francesco of Cortona was freed, having been commended to Blessed Archangelo. The wife of Bartoccio di Zeppa de Bottone, of the village of Casa Morcia c in the territory of Gubbio, since she had a son who was sick and suffering from a great hernia, commended him to Blessed Archangelo, that God might free him from the infirmity; and if this were done, she vowed a painted tablet in which the miracle should be represented, to be hung on the tomb, and a Mass in the church of St. Ambrose; the vow having been uttered, the boy was freed from the infirmity on the 8th day of January of the year 1514. A certain poor blind old man commended himself to the Lord with faith and devotion, that the light of his eyes might be restored to him; and having made a vow of a painted tablet in which the miracle should be described, he received his sight by the merits of Blessed Archangelo. By the same vow also a mother obtained health for her infant son, ruptured in the lower part of the body.
[15] are restored A woman who for eight years had been out of her mind, and whose memory was entirely dulled, so that she always thought evil and was kept bound; since no human remedy remained, a vow having been made for her to Blessed Archangelo, she was freed by his merits. A certain man of Urbino came naked to visit the body of the blessed one; asked by the Brothers why he had vowed such a thing, he answered that by such a vow he had obtained from Blessed Archangelo that he be restored from the falling sickness. This happened in the year 1521. Fr. Andrea of Civitella, a conventual at St. Ambrose's, was afflicted with great fevers and a grievous pain of the head, without finding any relief for the ill; he had recourse to God and to Blessed Archangelo and recovered his health. A certain woman had two sons gravely at variance with each other, so that they wished to live apart. The mother grieved exceedingly, fearing lest they should bring death on each other. And so she undertook a vow that if, by the intercession of Blessed Archangelo, peace were made between her sons without harm to either, she would bring to the tomb of the blessed one a wax heart: she obtained the grace. Another sick woman, troubled already for two years by some worm, which until then she had not been able to expel, made a vow to Blessed Archangelo, and immediately vomited up the worm; wherefore she offered a silver worm. A certain man had a daughter blind for six months, who promised that he would place a torch at the tomb of the blessed man, so that, by his intercession with God, his daughter might be freed: the vow having been pronounced, the girl recovered her sight by the grace of God and the merits of Blessed Archangelo.
[16] from disease, A woman from the territory of Perugia, pregnant, had been sick from Lent until the feast of St. John the Baptist, nor did any medicine relieve her; often she lay like one dead: her relatives commended her to Blessed Archangelo under a vow of visiting the tomb and offering the shift and garment in which she was then clothed, and moreover a candle: the vow having been undertaken, the woman was made well. Another woman, gravely affected by a defect of the arm, vowed, if she were healed, to offer a wax arm, and so she was freed through the intercession of Blessed Archangelo. A certain man of Perugia, having received a most grievous wound in the head, from which death threatened, found no relief; he therefore made a vow to Blessed Archangelo of visiting his tomb and offering a wax effigy of a head; suddenly the pain ceased and he fully recovered, on the 23rd day of August 1522. Bernardino of Assisi made a vow of visiting the tomb of the blessed one with bare feet, if he obtained from God that both he himself and his son should make peace with an enemy: the vow having been made, he obtained the grace in the month of August 1522. A certain young man had inflicted on himself a grave wound in the knee with an axe, from which it had remained weakened; having called upon Blessed Archangelo, he was healed. Another young man of the territory of Gubbio was so oppressed by fever that death was now threatening, and he was being signed with the holy candle d. He was handed over to Blessed Archangelo, to whom were promised, if he were healed, the celebration of one Mass and the offering of a candle of the price of one Bolognino e; he was healed by the grace of God and the merits of Blessed Archangelo on the 5th day of March 1525. Angelo di Benedetto of Fossato freed his daughter, ailing now for the third year from a sudden fright, by a vow made to Blessed Archangelo in the year 1532.
[17] A man named Pantaleone of Fossato had a little son, especially those with hernia. afflicted with such fevers that for three days, having taken no food, he seemed to be dying: he vowed to the most holy Virgin and to Blessed Archangelo that, if the boy were healed, he would bring him to the tomb of the blessed man and would see to it that a Mass was celebrated there; the vow having been made, the boy began to eat and was shortly restored to his former health by the merits of most holy Mary and of Blessed Archangelo. It has been related to us also that the lord Benedetto, son of Restoro, a Florentine, was sick from a hernia: when he had found no useful remedy, he wished to be castrated; but the physicians feared for his life, because he was very old; he was tormented by dire and continual pains. Being once at Castiglion Aretino on certain business, he heard of the miracles of Blessed Archangelo, how he had bestowed many benefits on others too because of their confidence in his merits; inflamed with devotion and knowing that the drawers of the servant of God were kept in the house of the aforesaid Antonio Acquisti, he conceived faith that he would be healed if he too put on these drawers. He therefore asked the household for them
and obtained them: and he wore them for twenty or thirty days, and by the help of God and the merits of Blessed Archangelo he was freed from the said hernia. Fr. Pietro Francesco of Bologna. Fr. Antonio of Bergamo. Fr. Giovanni Andrea Bagnao of Venice. Fr. Thomas of Fabriano, of the third Order of Penance of St. Francis, hermit, dwelling at St. Nicholas. Benedetto de Compagnono, a member of his household.
ANNOTATA.
APPENDIX.
BY J. V. H.
[18] There are healed one near death, a In the year 1617, when the process of canonization of Blessed Archangelo was instituted, Sebastiano Branconi, canon regular of St. Saviour and vicar of St. Ambrose, relates that his mother had come to such a point of infirmity that, being now in extreme danger, she had been fortified with the last anointing. But the canon's maternal uncle prayed to blessed Archangelo, and the woman recovered her former health. The same man relates that many possessed persons cried out greatly and made an uproar, showing that they were tormented by touching the tomb of the blessed man. The cited witness affirmed that men and women whose heads ached were freed from all pain by touching his mattress, filled with straw; which the same witness, affected with this very pain, experienced. Others too said similar things.
[19] one crushed by a mass of rocks, Francesco Nicolelli had visited, as was the custom, on the Friday of the second week of March of the year 1683 b, with his son, the tomb of Blessed Archangelo: and the son, having made a brief prayer before the relics, looked into the cell of the blessed man and, on going out, invited by his companions to gather snails, went into a certain cave beside the cell. While searching for snails, they found certain little silver coins; the shouting of the youths drew the neighbours, and Francesco, who was in the cell, ran up and asked his son, who was at the top of the cave, whether he had found anything. He answered: two coins. Francesco, in order to see them, having entered the cave, had scarcely reached the middle when a huge rock, which four yoke of oxen could scarcely move, fell from the top and rolled down upon Francesco. And he, calling upon Blessed Archangelo and the souls in purgatory, received a fourth part of the mass on his back, by which, crushed, he was thrown to the ground, and in the twinkling of an eye, another fragment sliding down, his foot was squeezed between two rocks. And when he had called out for the help of others, Antonio Petinelli entered the cave, and seeing the foot crushed between two rocks, and fearing also a new fall of stones, pulled the foot out of the rocks with all his strength. Then Francesco complained with a loud voice of the pains arising from the violent pulling out; by which the limb was also dislocated, but nothing else untoward had happened, although not only the leg but the whole body would naturally have been shattered. This safety both Francesco himself and others deservedly attributed to Blessed Archangelo c.
[20] one falling from a height, Orazio Capellone of Gubbio, burning with the desire of conveniently looking at the body of blessed Archangelo, put into the chest in which the sacred body lay a lamp lit from the light which was burning before the tomb; but the imprudent man set fire both to the veil and to the ornaments; for this reason both the body and the chest itself were bound to be burned to ashes; but immediately, without any human help, the fire was extinguished, the body remaining unharmed, and even the face itself, although uncovered d. Carlo Meconi of Lucca, custodian of the church of St. Ambrose, wishing to light the lamp before the body of Blessed Archangelo, climbed a stool placed on another bench; which overturning, he was thrown to the ground. But in the very fall he called upon the blessed one and was found without any injury either in the head or in the body, although he believed himself bruised, and others affirmed that this could not have happened without a miracle e.
[21] one with a broken foot, Giovanni Feramelli, a miller, an inhabitant of the city of Gubbio, in the year 1729 had broken his right leg by a fall, so that the fracture was six finger-breadths distant from the apophysis, that is, the ankle-bone. From so great an injury a wound arose, and the leg and foot swelled greatly from bad humour running together there. And although many physicians had applied remedies for healing the wound, yet they achieved nothing and the wound was incurable, so that for eight years the wretched man covered his foot with a huge shoe, and could scarcely walk supported on a stick. In this miserable condition, on the 17th day of December of the year 1737, a few hours before dawn, he experienced such torments that he could neither bear the sheet nor remain in bed. Rising therefore from his bed, with another's help, he went near the fire. Meanwhile his wife Teodora, consoling her husband, exhorted him to patience and to call upon Blessed Archangelo. Then Giovanni with living faith cried out twice: "O blessed Archangelo, free me from these pains, and grant that henceforth I may not suffer them." At the same moment of time the said Teodora, having looked at the wound, cried out all trembling: "Look, a bone coming out!" and this was drawn out by her without any pain to Giovanni. The woman then bound the leg with a bandage and applied the usual remedies, namely a coltsfoot leaf and oil, which had formerly been applied in vain. The following day Giovanni went out to his trade, and spent the whole day in labour without any weariness or pain. Returning home in the evening, when the bandage was loosed, he saw a scar drawn over the wound, so that it appeared entirely healed, and within a very few hours, flesh and skin growing over, the leg was restored to its former shape. And thereafter, up to the 6th day of May, on which he offered a sworn report of the fact, he felt no pain, free and sound, in no way needing the help of the stick, without which before he could scarcely move. Such a healing is truly sudden and perfect, inasmuch as afterwards he suffered no pain or swelling, which happens in a natural cure, especially when the convalescent gives himself to hard labour, as Giovanni did on that very day. This healing, made without any help either of nature or of men, is to be held a true miracle, and is to be attributed to Blessed Archangelo. The fact was sworn to by Giovanni Faramelli of Gubbio, to whom the healing came; then by Teodora Fracassini, wife of the said Giovanni, who was aware of all the things narrated so far, since she exhorted her husband to have recourse to Blessed Archangelo, and first noticed the bone coming out of the wound, and applied to the wound the usual remedy of coltsfoot and oil; she knew very well whether her husband was well or not. Moreover, Evangelista Magni, the surgeon who had treated the sick man, testified the same, together with Pasquino di Alessandro Benedetti of Gubbio, who had observed everything accurately, and having sworn, subscribed an authentic instrument f.
[22] one in danger in childbirth, Father Abbot Mastri, a most learned man and most worthy of belief, testified to us several times that when he was superior general he wished not only to see and venerate the sacred body, but moreover, the old chasuble having been removed, to clothe the blessed one in a new and more ornate one. Then, wishing to put it back in its former position, he noticed that the corpse exceeded the length of the altar under which it had lain. The General, astonished at the unexpected portent, uncertain what to do, bent his knees and prayed the blessed one to deign to fit himself to his accustomed place. Archangelo heard the prayers of his servant, and with no one helping, fitted himself to his former place g. Moreover Rosa Zanaroli, wife of Gaetano Coccia, on the 10th day of February 1749, near to giving birth, was tried by most violent pains and wrenchings of the limbs, so that she was thought to be in danger of her life. The most suitable remedies were of no use, and indeed the pains increased. Seeing therefore that human aids were useless, she had recourse with all confidence to Blessed Archangelo, and obtained his relics. And behold, the torments ceased, and happily and almost without any sensation of pain she brought a male child into the light; immediately leaping from her bed, she felt no pain either then or afterwards, although in her five preceding deliveries she had been subject to many and most grievous troubles. Wherefore, to show a grateful mind, she wished that the name of Archangelo be given to the newly born son. All of which things were lawfully testified before Giovanni Pellegrino Moruzzi, notary public, both by the said Rosa and by her husband and the midwife Anna Frugnoni h.
[23] one suffering from dysuria. In the name of the Lord. Amen. On the 21st day of the month of October 1771 (as Pietro Maria Amiani of Fano relates), I was overcome by a fever, which the physician also recognized, and on the following day I passed little urine, which on the day after, the 23rd of October, ceased entirely. I therefore called the surgeon Giuseppe Paoli, professor of surgery at Fano, who, having examined the case, judged that a syringe should be applied, and this remedy was continued for nineteen days with the greatest pain and trouble. And among the comforters who urged me to patience was the most reverend abbot Filippo Carrara, canon regular of St. Saviour, who on the 9th day of November of the said year visited me, with the prior and another monk of the Hermitage of Monte Giove of the Camaldolese Fathers; and the abbot exhorted all of us to pour out prayers for my health, especially to place all our confidence in God and the intercession of Blessed Archangelo. The abbot Filippo had opportunely brought with him a small piece of the cloth i in which the body of the blessed one had once lain, and asserted that by means of this small piece astonishing miracles had been worked; among others, that a woman gravely sick a few days before had been restored to her former health; and she lived near his monastery of St. Paternian. The religious
animated by this exhortation and pious suggestion, I conceived a sure confidence and most firm hope that I should obtain healing through the intercession of blessed Archangelo. When therefore the said surgeon had visited me on the evening of the same day, the 19th, it seemed to him that I was a little better; nevertheless he applied the usual remedy. The following night the hope of healing grew, and in the afternoon, after I had applied the sacred small piece to my body, I fell asleep, from which, on waking, I experienced the need to pass urine. Whence I began to cry out: "A miracle! Blessed Archangelo has had mercy on me, I am healed." From then on I have always been well: and because I have known the grace done me by God through the intercession of Blessed Archangelo, I have resolved to render testimony to the grace by the present instrument, confirmed by oath and subscribed with my own hand. At Fano, the 23rd of January 1772 k.