Jacopone da Todi
Encyclopedia
Jacopone da Todi was a Franciscan friar from Umbria
, Italy
in the 13th century. He wrote several laudi (songs in praise of the Lord
) in Italian. He was an early pioneer in Italian theatre
, being one of the earliest scholars who dramatised gospel
subjects.
in Bologna
and became a successful lawyer
. About 32 years old, his wife was killed when part of the floor of his house gave way during a dance. He discovered she had been wearing a haircloth
to mortify
her flesh, which was indicating great religious devotion and penance. Shocked, he gave up his legal practice, gave away all his possessions and from about 1268 lived as a wandering ascetic for about ten years as a Franciscan
tertiary. Around 1278, he joined the Friars Minor as a lay brother
. By this time, two broad factions had arisen in the Franciscan order, one with a more lenient, less mystical
attitude and one being more severe, preaching absolute poverty and penitence (known as The Spirituals).
Jacopone was connected with the latter group and in 1294 they sent a deputation to Celestine V to ask permission to live separately from the other friars and observe the Franciscan Rule in its perfection. The request was granted. On Celestine's death in 1297, the position of the Vatican
reversed. Boniface VIII favored the Franciscan regulars who opposed the Spirituals' strict views. Jacopone, in response, signed a covenant
with the powerful Colonnas, one of the most influential families in Rome
, calling for Boniface's deposition. The Pope excommunicated
them. A battle between the two rival parties ensued, ending with the siege
of Palestrina
and the imprisonment and excommunication
of Jacopone in 1298. He was freed in 1303 on the death of Boniface, having been excluded from the Jubilee
of 1300 by papal bull
. He retired to Collazzone, a small town situated on a hill between Perugia and Todi, where he died in 1306.
Jacopone was steadfast in condemning corruption, especially through his satirical Italian poems. Jacopone would not recant his position on the requirement of ascetic poverty, believing that the mainstream church had become corrupt and that its ministers were not interested in the welfare of the poor. This criticism is echoed in the contemporary Alleluia Movement. It was a time of famine
and poverty in Italy and many mystics and preachers like Gioacchino da Fiore anticipated the end of the world and the coming of Christ
. They also said kings and clergy had become too attached to material goods and too interested in their personal wars rather than the welfare of the country. Jacopone's preaching attracted many enthusiasts even within the Franciscan order and Dante
praised him in his Paradiso
.
Jacopone's body is buried in a crypt in the church of San Fortunato, Todi.
and represent the popular poetry of the region. Many hundreds of manuscripts attest to the broad popularity of his poems in many contexts - although anonymous poems are often attributed to him by the tradition. Other laudi extol the spiritual value of poverty.
Some of his laudi were especially in use among the so-called Laudesi and the Flagellants, who sang them in the towns, along the roads, in their confraternities and in sacred dramatical representations. With hindsight, the use of the laudi may be seen as an early seed of Italian drama that came to fruition in later centuries.
The Latin poem Stabat Mater Dolorosa
is often attributed to Jacopone, although this has been disputed. It is a fine example of religious lyric
in the Franciscan tradition. It was inserted into the Roman Missal and Breviary in 1727 for the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on the Friday before Good Friday
. Following changes by Pius XII, it now appears on the Feast of Our Lady's Sorrows celebrated on 15 September. Many composers have set it to music, including Josquin des Prez
, Giovanni Palestrina, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
, Gioacchino Rossini
and Antonín Dvořák
.
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the 13th century. He wrote several laudi (songs in praise of the Lord
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
) in Italian. He was an early pioneer in Italian theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, being one of the earliest scholars who dramatised gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
subjects.
Life
Jacopone studied lawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
and became a successful lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. About 32 years old, his wife was killed when part of the floor of his house gave way during a dance. He discovered she had been wearing a haircloth
Haircloth
Haircloth is a stiff, unsupple fabric typically made from horsehair and/or from the wooly hair of a camel. Although horsehair generally refers to the hair of a horse's mane or tail, haircloth itself is sometimes called horsehair...
to mortify
Mortification of the flesh
Mortification of the flesh literally means "putting the flesh to death". The term is primarily used in religious and spiritual contexts. The institutional and traditional terminology of this practice in Catholicism is corporal mortification....
her flesh, which was indicating great religious devotion and penance. Shocked, he gave up his legal practice, gave away all his possessions and from about 1268 lived as a wandering ascetic for about ten years as a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
tertiary. Around 1278, he joined the Friars Minor as a lay brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
. By this time, two broad factions had arisen in the Franciscan order, one with a more lenient, less mystical
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
attitude and one being more severe, preaching absolute poverty and penitence (known as The Spirituals).
Jacopone was connected with the latter group and in 1294 they sent a deputation to Celestine V to ask permission to live separately from the other friars and observe the Franciscan Rule in its perfection. The request was granted. On Celestine's death in 1297, the position of the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
reversed. Boniface VIII favored the Franciscan regulars who opposed the Spirituals' strict views. Jacopone, in response, signed a covenant
Covenant (historical)
In a historical context, a covenant applies to formal promises that were made under oath, or in less remote history, agreements in which the name actually uses the term 'covenant', implying that they were binding for all time...
with the powerful Colonnas, one of the most influential families in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, calling for Boniface's deposition. The Pope excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
them. A battle between the two rival parties ensued, ending with the siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
and the imprisonment and excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
of Jacopone in 1298. He was freed in 1303 on the death of Boniface, having been excluded from the Jubilee
Jubilee (Christian)
The concept of the Jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In the Biblical Book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly...
of 1300 by papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
. He retired to Collazzone, a small town situated on a hill between Perugia and Todi, where he died in 1306.
Jacopone was steadfast in condemning corruption, especially through his satirical Italian poems. Jacopone would not recant his position on the requirement of ascetic poverty, believing that the mainstream church had become corrupt and that its ministers were not interested in the welfare of the poor. This criticism is echoed in the contemporary Alleluia Movement. It was a time of famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
and poverty in Italy and many mystics and preachers like Gioacchino da Fiore anticipated the end of the world and the coming of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. They also said kings and clergy had become too attached to material goods and too interested in their personal wars rather than the welfare of the country. Jacopone's preaching attracted many enthusiasts even within the Franciscan order and Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
praised him in his Paradiso
Paradiso (Dante)
Paradiso is the third and final part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and the Purgatorio. It is an allegory telling of Dante's journey through Heaven, guided by Beatrice, who symbolises theology...
.
Jacopone's body is buried in a crypt in the church of San Fortunato, Todi.
Poetry
Jacopone's satirical and denunciatory Laudi witness to the troubled times of the warring city-states of northern Italy and the material and spiritual crisis that accompanied them. The laudi are written in his native Umbrian dialectDialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
and represent the popular poetry of the region. Many hundreds of manuscripts attest to the broad popularity of his poems in many contexts - although anonymous poems are often attributed to him by the tradition. Other laudi extol the spiritual value of poverty.
Some of his laudi were especially in use among the so-called Laudesi and the Flagellants, who sang them in the towns, along the roads, in their confraternities and in sacred dramatical representations. With hindsight, the use of the laudi may be seen as an early seed of Italian drama that came to fruition in later centuries.
The Latin poem Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Roman Catholic hymn to Mary. It has been variously attributed to the Franciscan Jacopone da Todi and to Innocent III...
is often attributed to Jacopone, although this has been disputed. It is a fine example of religious lyric
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
in the Franciscan tradition. It was inserted into the Roman Missal and Breviary in 1727 for the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on the Friday before Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
. Following changes by Pius XII, it now appears on the Feast of Our Lady's Sorrows celebrated on 15 September. Many composers have set it to music, including Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, Giovanni Palestrina, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was an Italian composer, violinist and organist.-Biography:Born at Iesi, Pergolesi studied music there under a local musician, Francesco Santini, before going to Naples in 1725, where he studied under Gaetano Greco and Francesco Feo among others...
, Gioacchino Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
and Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
.
Sources
- Giudice, A. e Bruni, G. Problemi e scrittori della letteratura italiana. Torino, Paravia, 1981.
- Sapegno, N. Santo Jacopone. Torino, Edizioni del Baretti, 1926, p. 30.
- Novatti, F. Freschi e minii del Dugento. Milano, Cogliatti, 1925, pp. 202–204.
External links
See also
- Christian mystics
- Religious poetry
- Saint Francis of Assisi