Gregory was quite old. He was by now ninety.
His head, that he had proudly held erect, now was dangling on his thin neck as a faded flower. But he listened with attention to Parenti’s words. The representatives of the Order had arrived in two groups. They were ten. Five, in which there was Anthony, had come for Parenti, and five for Elija. Despite the agreement the two groups had travelled separately.
Rome, when they entered its walls, seemed to resound of the battle fought not long before. From time to time in the population burst into brawls. The powerful family, Frangipane, tightly tied up to the Emperor Frederic, was organising incessantly rebellions against Gregory. For a while the Pope had to reside out of the capital. He had, however, returned to Rome, convinced that he must stay there, otherwise one of the Frangipane would have been ready to nominate himself, Pope, as already had happened fifty years before. After having surrounded with the army the Vatican, Gregory lived in the walls of the palace as in a besieged fortress, ready in any moment to take refuge in Castle Saint Angel.
He hadn’t yet lost all his energy. He didn’t have trust in Frederic, despite the stipulated peace with the empire. He knew that Frederic had secret projects of ruling all Italy, and that he had even nominated as lord, Enzo, his illegitimate son. The lack of trust towards Frederick made him trust lesser the people that had acted as intermediary in the agreement with the empire. Elijah didn’t have any longer, on the old Pope, the influence of some time ago. Even if every one assured him that in Assisi he had erected a building that appeared as the marvel of marvels, Gregory had known his wild ambition. The Friars minor had become necessary to the Pope. After he had taken away to the Bishops the tribunals of the inquisition and after having entrusted them to the Dominicans, Gregory was desiring to exercise through the Friars minor an influx that would mitigate the severity of the sentences.
"What do you have to say to justify your behaviour, Friar Elijah?" asked at the old General of the Order, when Parenti concluded his report.
Elijah, even if he was in the presence of the Pope, hadn`t lost assurance of himself. His discourse was not a defense, but an accusation.
"The Order" he assured "is guided by an uncertain hand. The simpletons continue to prevail. Not only sister Chiara. They do nothing but continue to confirm the need of total poverty. In the Order are deficient studies and doctrine…"
Gregory listened with patience the long speech of friar Elijah. When he finished, he turned to Anthony. The ardent eyes of the Pope, black despite the age, rested for a long time in observation of the blown face of the religious.
"You speak." he said unexpectedly. "I want to know how things are according to what you think."
"Seeing that you are requesting my opinion, Holy Father, I will tell you. Friar Elijah has built a splendid temple, that in the centuries it will be admired and that makes a worthy sepulchre for our founder. Friar Elijah takes care also that the Order cultivated the knowledge and has undoubtly many reasons from his side when he demands that the Friars should study, because without studies they wouldn’t be able to oppose heresy.
All the same, Friar John is the Minister of the Order elected according to the law and in the appropriate manners. And his way of governing is appropriate, because he patiently with love unites the old and the new. Amongst us, Holy Father, there are many Friars zealous and pious that live in the memory of Friar Francis. They share his dream of living according to the Gospel. Oh, if one can do so! Unfortunately, Holy Father, we are only but human.
To the order, knowledge is necessary. We need to buy books, we need to educate. It is true as the need grows so is the danger to forget our initial Order.
In such a way we will cease to be as Friar Francis wanted us to be.
So what is the remedy? I think, Holy Father, that the remedy is only one. How much more the Order will possess, the lesser should possess each of us. How much bigger will be the task assigned to the Order, the lesser the Friars must be, more humble, more pious. The Saint Friar Francis knew these difficulties and because of this he wanted to renounce to every thing. He, that had so many dreams and lofty desires, became little and humble, the very least. He that the desire of commanding, became subdued to others. He that loved to possess, didn`t want to have anything.
This is testament of his holiness. Even for this I think, Holy Father, that the right is on the side of Friar John, because he, although learned, even if he possesses knowledge he uses them to look at the needs of all and he does it with great humbleness."
"So that he" with his finger he indicated Elijah "according to you, is not right?"
"In this subject, according to me, he is not right" Anthony affirmed. "But he is a great builder."
"I have heard about this, and I will look with pleasure what he has built. As for the question of the priorate of the Order I give the right to Friar Parenti. Come closer son, so that I may bless you.
As for you, Friar Elijah, I reproach you. In accordance with the rule you must obey to the Friar Minister. You have sinned, wanting to reach with arrogance the office for your own benefit. Be ashamed of yourself. I will impose you this penance: for thirty days you should stay with bread and water, praying all the time…"
He turned again to Anthony:
"And instead I summon you, Friar Anthony, to deliver a teaching tomorrow in Saint Peter. At the moment are sojourning here in Rome Bishops of different countries. There are Greeks, Anglicans, Germans, French, even foreigners of the far Poland and from Norvergia. I want you to deliver to them a wise homily, as only you can do…
Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Gregory was quite old. He was by now ninety.
His head, that he had proudly held erect, now was dangling on his thin neck as a faded flower. But he listened with attention to Parenti’s words. The representatives of the Order had arrived in two groups. They were ten. Five, in which there was Anthony, had come for Parenti, and five for Elija. Despite the agreement the two groups had travelled separately.
Rome, when they entered its walls, seemed to resound of the battle fought not long before. From time to time in the population burst into brawls. The powerful family, Frangipane, tightly tied up to the Emperor Frederic, was organising incessantly rebellions against Gregory. For a while the Pope had to reside out of the capital. He had, however, returned to Rome, convinced that he must stay there, otherwise one of the Frangipane would have been ready to nominate himself, Pope, as already had happened fifty years before. After having surrounded with the army the Vatican, Gregory lived in the walls of the palace as in a besieged fortress, ready in any moment to take refuge in Castle Saint Angel.
He hadn’t yet lost all his energy. He didn’t have trust in Frederic, despite the stipulated peace with the empire. He knew that Frederic had secret projects of ruling all Italy, and that he had even nominated as lord, Enzo, his illegitimate son. The lack of trust towards Frederick made him trust lesser the people that had acted as intermediary in the agreement with the empire. Elijah didn’t have any longer, on the old Pope, the influence of some time ago. Even if every one assured him that in Assisi he had erected a building that appeared as the marvel of marvels, Gregory had known his wild ambition. The Friars minor had become necessary to the Pope. After he had taken away to the Bishops the tribunals of the inquisition and after having entrusted them to the Dominicans, Gregory was desiring to exercise through the Friars minor an influx that would mitigate the severity of the sentences.
"What do you have to say to justify your behaviour, Friar Elijah?" asked at the old General of the Order, when Parenti concluded his report.
Elijah, even if he was in the presence of the Pope, hadn`t lost assurance of himself. His discourse was not a defense, but an accusation.
"The Order" he assured "is guided by an uncertain hand. The simpletons continue to prevail. Not only sister Chiara. They do nothing but continue to confirm the need of total poverty. In the Order are deficient studies and doctrine…"
Gregory listened with patience the long speech of friar Elijah. When he finished, he turned to Anthony. The ardent eyes of the Pope, black despite the age, rested for a long time in observation of the blown face of the religious.
"You speak." he said unexpectedly. "I want to know how things are according to what you think."
"Seeing that you are requesting my opinion, Holy Father, I will tell you. Friar Elijah has built a splendid temple, that in the centuries it will be admired and that makes a worthy sepulchre for our founder. Friar Elijah takes care also that the Order cultivated the knowledge and has undoubtly many reasons from his side when he demands that the Friars should study, because without studies they wouldn’t be able to oppose heresy.
All the same, Friar John is the Minister of the Order elected according to the law and in the appropriate manners. And his way of governing is appropriate, because he patiently with love unites the old and the new. Amongst us, Holy Father, there are many Friars zealous and pious that live in the memory of Friar Francis. They share his dream of living according to the Gospel. Oh, if one can do so! Unfortunately, Holy Father, we are only but human.
To the order, knowledge is necessary. We need to buy books, we need to educate. It is true as the need grows so is the danger to forget our initial Order.
In such a way we will cease to be as Friar Francis wanted us to be.
So what is the remedy? I think, Holy Father, that the remedy is only one. How much more the Order will possess, the lesser should possess each of us. How much bigger will be the task assigned to the Order, the lesser the Friars must be, more humble, more pious. The Saint Friar Francis knew these difficulties and because of this he wanted to renounce to every thing. He, that had so many dreams and lofty desires, became little and humble, the very least. He that the desire of commanding, became subdued to others. He that loved to possess, didn`t want to have anything.
This is testament of his holiness. Even for this I think, Holy Father, that the right is on the side of Friar John, because he, although learned, even if he possesses knowledge he uses them to look at the needs of all and he does it with great humbleness."
"So that he" with his finger he indicated Elijah "according to you, is not right?"
"In this subject, according to me, he is not right" Anthony affirmed. "But he is a great builder."
"I have heard about this, and I will look with pleasure what he has built. As for the question of the priorate of the Order I give the right to Friar Parenti. Come closer son, so that I may bless you.
As for you, Friar Elijah, I reproach you. In accordance with the rule you must obey to the Friar Minister. You have sinned, wanting to reach with arrogance the office for your own benefit. Be ashamed of yourself. I will impose you this penance: for thirty days you should stay with bread and water, praying all the time…"
He turned again to Anthony:
"And instead I summon you, Friar Anthony, to deliver a teaching tomorrow in Saint Peter. At the moment are sojourning here in Rome Bishops of different countries. There are Greeks, Anglicans, Germans, French, even foreigners of the far Poland and from Norvergia. I want you to deliver to them a wise homily, as only you can do…