If
you want to know something about the Capuchin friars who live
in this friary, imagine you are back in the year 1525,
thinking about all the poor people who lived then. In fact,
try to go even further back in time: imagine how a poor person
lived and dressed at the time of St Francis, i.e. in the years
between 1182 and 1226.
This is
important because the Capuchins separated from other
Franciscans in 1525 because they wanted live the spirit and
Rule of St Francis in a more genuine way - they wanted to get
back to the origins of the Order. They wore a pair of sandals
with no socks, and a tunic with a hood to cover their head if
the weather was bad. The name of the Capuchin friars actually
derives from this hood, or capuce. And Capuchins have
traditionally worn a beard.
They commit
themselves to live the Gospel as Francis did, and to make it
known to others: hence the preaching, the missions, the free
service to any poor person, especially the sick. They live
together in houses that as far as possible are not too large
and not too far from a town or village, if possible close to
green spaces and nature: woods for silence to foster prayer,
and an orchard or garden to work in. As well as what is
written about Jesus in the Gospel and in the Franciscan Rule,
Capuchins consider the Testament dictated by Francis shortly
before his death as the best commentary on the Rule itself,
which begins with these words:
"This is the Rule and Life
of the Friars Minor, namely to live the holy Gospel..."
Throughout their long history, Capuchins have tried their hand
at everything, in all parts of the world. They have been
travellers and missionaries, diplomats and community leaders;
they have brought civilisation and founded social works; they
have been writers, artists, musicians, craftsmen and even
firemen, military chaplains and men of the people, saints and
exiles - with all the virtues and the weaknesses of the people
among whom they lived.
Today, many
young people also join the Young Franciscans, and adults the
Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), to commit themselves to the
same ideal: to live the Gospel of Jesus according to the
spirit and style of St Francis while having their own families
and jobs, bringing everyone the gifts of "Peace and Good" (the
Franciscan greeting). |
The Capuchins in Rome
Brother Matthew of Bascio, having started the Capuchin reform in the Marches, came to Rome for the Jubilee of 1525 and began to serve the incurably sick patients of St James' Hospital. He wanted to place himself under the protection of the Pope, and on July 3, 1528 the Pope, Clement VII Medici, officially recognised the new Capuchin reform at Viterbo. In the summer of 1529 Louis of Fossombrone, Vicar General since Matthew of Bascio had renounced the office, came to Rome and obtained permission to live in a house belonging to the Hospital of St James for the Incurable, close to the church of Our Lady of the Miracles (Santa Maria dei Miracoli).
A year
later - after the river Tiber had flooded, destroying both
house and church - they moved to the monastery of
Sant'Eufemia, near St Mary Major, where they remained until
1536. In that year they moved to a "place" near the church of
St Nicholas De Portiis, built for them by the Colonna family.
Gregory XIII rebuilt the whole area between 1575 and 1580 and
gave the church the title of St Bonaventure (today called St
Bonaventure dei Lucchesi, not far from the Trevi Fountain).
Subsequently, on April 16, 1631 they moved to the present
house in via Vittorio Veneto 27, but of the buildings put up
for them by the Barberini family only the church and the
cemetery crypt remain. The latter contains the remains of
Capuchins transferred from the cemetery of the friary church
of St Bonaventure.
Their bones, together with those of many other people buried in the cemetery, were used to decorate the walls and chapels of the crypt, as a kind of hymn to life. In 1925 the foundation stone of the present friary was laid, on a small plot donated by the City Council of Rome, the old friary having been expropriated and later demolished to make way for a new town planning scheme in the area. The church contains the tombs of St. Felix of Cantalice, the Venerable Fr. Francis of Bergamo and the Servant of God Fr. Mariano of Turin. The cells of St Felix and St. Crispin of Viterbo are also preserved there. The choir and side altars are adorned with precious works of art, while the friary library is a constant point of reference for scholars.
Capuchins have always been "brothers of the people",
particularly during the various epidemics that have struck
Rome, and during the last war with its episodes of racial
discrimination. The old friary was once the international
headquarters of the Order, and is now the Provincial
headquarters of the Roman Capuchins. It is ordinarily staffed
by about 15 friars who are occupied in various tasks such as
prayer, study and the apostolate. There is also a flourishing
fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO).
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St Felix of Cantalice (1515-1587)
He was the first Capuchin saint, who joined the Order
at the age of 29. He lived in the friary of St Bonaventure in
Rome, where for 40 years he befriended the poor as the friar
who begged alms for the community. He used to say he knew only
5 letters: the 5 wounds of Christ crucified. A favourite
saying of his was: Fiddle diddle, I talk a great deal but I do
very little! Our Lady gave him the privilege of holding the
Child Jesus in his arms, which is why he is known as the
protector of children |
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St Crispin
of Viterbo (1668-1750)
He joined the Capuchins at 25.
A calm and jovial character, he was fond of poetry and loved
to improvise tunes. He held various jobs: infirmarian, cook,
gardener and most of all collector of alms at Orvieto for 40
years. He too was a good friend and benefactor of the poor.
When old and sick he came to Rome to this friary of Mary
Immaculate. He had great devotion to our Lady, a ready wit and
a love of flowers, animals and nature, seeing in them the
reflected beauty of their Creator. |
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Fr Mariano of
Turin (1906-1972)
A classics teacher in State schools,
he joined the Capuchins at the age of 34. This friary in Rome
was his only home as a friar. Here he gained his doctorate in
theology and from here he set out to give conferences and
preach sermons all over Italy and abroad. From 1955 till 1972
he hosted the TV shows La Posta di Padre Mariano (Fr Mariano's
postbag), In Famiglia (In the Family) and Chi E' Gesł? (Who is
Jesus?). In 1993 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
recognised the juridic validity of the diocesan Cause. Soon,
we hope, he will be declared Blessed and become the first
saint of the television age. |
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Padre Francesco Passeri da Bergamo (1536-1626)
Celebre per santità, saggezza e miracoli. Il Papa Urbano VIII, ordinò che si iniziasse il processo informativo sulle sue virtù eroiche, già prima che fosse sepolto, anche se la causa per la sua beatificazione fu introdotta il 24 settembre 1785. Morto nel convento di San Bonaventura al Quìrinale, i suoi resti furono trasportati in questa chiesa nel 1631 e collocati nella seconda cappella a destra, in un sarcofago di marmo.
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