Visualizing Stigmata: Stigmatic Saints and Crises of Representation in Late Medieval and Early Modern Italy

Abstract

At the time of the Lord Pope Benedict XII [1334-42] it happened that in a city near Avignon in which the [Franciscan] brothers had a convent, on a certain day while all the friars were in the choir celebrating the holy office, two friars belonging to a different order arrived and walked around. Then one of them saw the image of St Francis with the holy stigmata depicted on the wall, [and] he said to his companion: ‘Those friars minor want their saint to be like Christ’. And he took up his knife and said: ‘I want to efface those stigmata from that image so that he [St Francis] does not appear like Christ’. And having said this, he carried out the deed. And when he had expunged the five stigmata, they began to shed blood abundantly. Seeing this, greatly amazed, he said to his companion, ‘Aah! What shall I do?’ His companion replied: ‘You’ve really committed a mortal sin! I advise you to run quickly to a confessor and confess’. He did this. … The confessor counselled him that he should run to the pope and tell him everything about this and receive advice from him about what should be done. … When the pope heard this, he asked him if it was truly thus. The friar declared with an oath that it was thus. Then the pope said: ‘I particularly want to see this miracle’. And when he came to that place, he saw blood flowing abundantly from those holy stigmata in the image. Then, greatly amazed, the pope knelt down in front of the image: [and] raising his hands to heaven he said: ‘St Francis, forgive the sin of this miserable sinner, because I promise to you that I want to institute that the feast of your stigmata should be celebrated, and above all I want to enjoin your friars that throughout the whole order they must solemnly celebrate the feast of your stigmata’. And as soon as the lord pope had made this vow, the blood ceased to flow.

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