Illness and Authority by Donna Trembinski;

Author:Donna Trembinski;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ADD SUBJECT
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Disappearing Humanity, New Sanctity

It has long been understood that saints seem to become less differentiated and more stereotypically holy the further removed their hagiographies are from their subjects. Indeed, the revisions of saint’s lives often have more to do with responding to current political and social realities than with returning to explore the realities of a saint’s experience. By the thirteenth century, the methods for canonization were being formalized and had become quite rigorous. These formal processes included a papal investigation into the actions and miracles of a would-be saint. Many witnesses were called to attest to the holiness of the individual. Three uncontested miracles were required for consideration. The holy behaviour expected of saints was becoming limited by the thirteenth century as well. Increasingly, there were expected patterns of holy behaviour saints needed to exhibit. Erratic behaviour that did not conform to expectations was minimized in hagiographical texts.79

Unsurprisingly, Francis’ lives follow this general trend, although the trend is complicated by the more casual and personal reminiscences found in the Assisi Compilation. Later, however, Francis seems to shed his personality, and even his humanity, in the narratives of his life that continued to be written throughout the thirteenth century. The saint also becomes emotionally and physically stronger, and less in need of medical care and physical, and even emotional, comfort. One of the most obvious ways this is demonstrated in the early lives of Francis is in how Francis interacts with music.

It is clear from many of the earliest discussions of Francis’ life that the saint loved music.80 Of course he composed the Canticle of Brother Sun, which is his best known work, though he composed other pieces as well. Even hearing music inspired Francis and raised his spirits. Unsurprisingly, most of the evidence for Francis’ enjoyment of music comes from the Assisi Compilation.81 Those reminiscences, when they are included at all in the later lives, especially Bonaventure’s Legenda maior, are changed in ways that diminish Francis’ enjoyment of an earthly pleasure.

If one of the narratives in the Assisi Compilation can be trusted, Francis’ love of music was considered problematic by leaders of his order even in his own lifetime. AC 99 tells of how, near the end of his life, Francis used to comfort himself by singing the Praises of the Lord, a song of his own composition. Brother Elias, though, appears to have suggested that some people might find it unseemly for Francis to find joy in music so near the end of his life. The text records Elias’ words to Francis:

Most dear brother, I am greatly consoled and edified from every joy which you show for yourself and your companions in such affliction and infirmity. However, granted that the people of this city venerate you for a saint in life and in death, nevertheless since they firmly believe that you are near death on account of your great and incurable infirmity, hearing Laudes of this sort being sung, they can think or say among themselves: “How can he who is near death show such joy at this time? For he ought to be thinking about his death.

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