O POBRE DE ASSIS: A CONSTRUÇÃO DE UMA MEMÓRIA DE SANTIDADE (SÉCULO XIII).

Abstract

This dissertation shows a research of the representation of holiness and memory of St. Francis of Assisi beginning in the 13th century. The holiness attributed to the saint was built initially by the Franciscan Order between the years 1220 and 1266. At first moment, with the speech of the institutionalization of the new monastic order, its main feature was the social work focused on the urban environment with a new proposal of apostolic life of experiencing the Gospel in absolute poverty. The second stage was the proper way of life proposed by St. Francis of Assisi to follow in Christ´s footsteps in the perspective of the same absolute poverty. However, with the Franciscan fraternity, there were internal debates about the way of life in absolute poverty and also countless hagiographies that showed the saint from different perspectives on living the Gospel. The third stage was with St. Bonaventure, who aimed to put an end to discussions on extreme poverty publishing in 1266 the Greater Legend to unify the holiness of St. Francis and conduct the Franciscan Order in the Roman Curia institutional procedures. Other aspects that determined the representation of St. Francis´s holiness were the miracles of the stigmata reported in the saint s body. The Franciscan Order attributes the sanctity of "Corpus Sanctum" (Holy Body) to Francis´s body because it received Christ´s wounds. In the face of the representations, we noted by the narrations of the miracles got by the faithful on the holy grave. The main documentations sources that contributed to this research were the hagiographies: First Life of Thomas of Celano, The Greater Legend of St. Bonaventure, The Legend of the Three Companions, the Chronicles, The Regula Bullata and Regula non Bullata, and the saint´s works: Testament, Canticles and Letters.