The Politics of Sanctity in Thirteenth-Century Ferrara

Abstract

The conferral of sainthood was no light matter in the late Middle Ages. An increasing emphasis on the papacy's right to discern between “authentic” and “false” sanctity meant that while many men and women were locally venerated as saints, few were officially recognized to have formally achieved this pinnacle of holiness. Out of the hundreds of new saints that emerged between 1198 and 1431, only thirty-five individuals were canonized.' Part of the reason for the dearth of holy men and women created by papal mandate in this period was the intrusion of political concerns, which had a tremendous impact on who attained the status of “saint.” Spiritual merit, as evidenced by moral virtues and attested miracles, was only one aspect of the medieval canonization process. Another integral facet was compliance with papal ends; in other words, successful candidates often were supported by communities willing to submit to papal wishes.” Thus when official recognition of sanctity occurred, it came at the cost of not only religious but also political obedience to the papacy. Conversely, those towns whose loyalty to the pope was suspect often found their petitions for a canonization inquiry ignored. Habitually recalcitrant towns might even find their veneration of a putative saint actively opposed by papal agents such as inquisitors. These types of situations occasionally led to protracted battles in which the saint's followers refused to capitulate to authorities and cease venerating the person in question.

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