Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/347

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295

FRIARS


295


FRIARS


tricts the Franciscans worked earnestly to reconcile the schismatics with Rome. Nicholas IV, himself a Franciscan, sent missionaries of the order to Servia in 1288, and another mission followed (1354) mider Friar Bartholomew, Bishop of Trau (Tragori). In 1389, Hajazet I destroyed almost all these missions, while those which were re-established in 1402 fell into the hands of the Turks, who definitely took possession of Servia in 1502. In 1464 the courageous Franciscan Angelus Zojedzdovic, obtained from Mohanmied II a charter of toleration for Catholics, and progress was also made by the Franciscan missions in Bulgaria, Wallachia, Molda\-ia, and Podolia. In Black Russia Nikolaus Melsat of Crosna vnth twenty-five friars be- gan a mission about 1370, Moldavia being visited about the same time by Anthony of Spalato (and later by Fabian of Bachia and James of the March), but their work was interrupted in 1460 by the Turks, who in 1476 cast 40,000 Christians from these districts into prison. Boniface IX transferred the episcopal see to Bakau, Benedict XIV to Sniat^Ti. At the fje- ginning of the seventeenth century Bishop Bernardino (Juirino was murdered by the Turks, and, on the death of the last bishop (BonaventuraBerardi)in 1818, the mission in Moldavia and Rumania was entrusted to the Conventuals, who still retain it.

The Franciscans were settled in Constantinople as earh' as the thirteenth centurj'. In 1642 this and the subordinate missions were united into a prefecture Apostolic, from which the Prefecture of Rhodes was separated in 1897. The former now occupies seven convents, while the latter has seven churches and houses. In 1599, the convents of the Albanian mission were erected into a province, which, on 9 October, 1832, was di\-ided into five prefectures Apostolic (Epirus, Jlacedonia, Servia, Pulati, and Kastrati), which are almost entirely worked by Franciscans, and were on 31 January, 1898, placed by the general, Aloy- sius Lauer, under a commissary general, with the authority of a provincial. In Bosnia and Herzego- vina, which was separated from the Bosnian province in 1847 and elevated to the rank of a province in 1892, the Franciscans were the first missionaries and pastors, and these countries are still almost entirely under the spiritual guidance of the order, practicall}^ all the bishops having been Franciscans. When it was pro-

Eosed in 1886 to erect a see at Antivari in Montenegro, imon Milinovifi of the Franciscan Order was desig- nateil Archbishop of Antivari and Primate of Servia. In Montenegro the Friars Minor administer ten of the eleven parishes.

According to the statistics of 4 October, 1907, the present condition of the Franciscan missions, which are distributed over the five continents, is as follows: Total numlier of Friars Minor, 4689, including 2535 priests, 620 clerics, 1396 lay brothers, and 138 novices. These are assisted in their work by 12,572 Franciscan sisters, chiefly members of the Third Order of St. Francis.

XI. Cultivation of the Sciences. — The order has always devoted itself diligently to the cultivation of sciences, and, although St. Francis is to be numbered rather amongst the divinely enlightened than among the academically trained, he was neither a declared enemy nor a despiser of learning. To qualify them- selves for the tasks assigned in ever-increasing num- bers to their rapidly spreading order — which was revered by rich and poor, was employed by popes and kings on missions of every description, and was to labour for the social betterment of every section of the community — the Franciscans were early com- pelled to take advantage of everv' possible source of scientific culture, and, vithin thirty or forty years after their founder's death, they shared with the Dominicans the most prominent place in the revival of learning. This place has been retained for centuries with distinction and brilliancy, especially in the


domain of theology and philosophy. A list of Fran- ciscan scholars and their works would fill volumes, while many of their writings have exercised an abiding influence in the realms of science, on the religious life of the people, and on the whole human race. Men- tion ma}' be made of only a few of the eminent dog- matic and moral theologians, philosophers, writers on ethics, historians, hnguists, philologists, artists, poets, musicians, geographers, etc., whom the order has produced. Formerly Franciscans lectured in many universities, e. g. Paris, Oxford, Bologna, Cambridge, Cologne, Toulouse, AlcaU, Salamanca, Erfurt, Vienna, Heitlelberg, Fulda. We may here mention: Alex- ander of Hales (d. 1245); John of Rupclla (La Roch- elle) (d. 1245); Adam of Marsh (Marisco) (d. 1258); John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1292); Cardinal Matthew of Acquasparta (d. 1302) ; Johannes Guallensis (John of Wales) (d. about 1300) ; Richard of Middleton (de Mediavilia) (d. about 1305); John Duns Scotus (d. 1308), the most subtle of all Scholas- tics; WiUiam of Occam (d. 1349); William Vorrillon (Vorilongus) (d. 1464); Nicolas d' Orbelhs (d. 1465); Monaldus (d. about 1290); John of Erfurt (d. about 1310); Nicholas of Lyra (d. about 1340), the most in- fluential exegete of the Middle Ages; David of Augs- burg, mystic (d. 1272) Artesanus of Asti (c. 1317), author of the famous "Summa Casuum", called the "Artesana"; Nicholas of Osinio (d. about 1450); Pacificus of Ceredano (d. 1482), author of the "Sum- ma Pacifica"; Baptista Trovamala de Sahs (c. 1485), author of the "Baptistiniana", also called the "Ro- scUa"; Angelo Carletti di Chivasso (d. 1495), author of the "Summa Angelica"; Dietrich (Theodore) Coelde (d. 1515), author of the "Christenspiegel"; Francesco Lichetti (d. 1520); Francois Feuardent (d. 1612), controversiahst and exegete ; Luke Wadding (d. 1658); Florence Conry (d. 1629); Anthony Hickey (Hyquajus) (d. 1641); Pierre Marchant (d. 1661); William Herincx (d. 1678); Friedrich Stummel (d. 1682); Patritius Sporer (d. 1683); Benjamin Eubel (d. 1756) ; Anacletus Reiffenstuel (d. 1703) ; De Guber- natis (d. about 1689); Alva y Astorga (d. 1667); Jean Ponce (d. 1660) ; Bonaventure Dernoye (d. 1653) ; Jean dela Have (d. 1661); Lorenzo Cozza (d. 1729); Aman- dus Hermann (d. 1700); Claude Frassen (d. 1711); Fran(;ois As.sermet (d. 17.30); Jerome of Montefortino (d. about 1740); Luca Ferraris (d. about 17.50); C!io- vanni Antonio Bianchi (d. 1758); Signnmd Ncudecker (d. 1736); Benedetto Bonelli (d. 1773); Kilian Kazen- berger (d. about 1729); Vigilius Grciderer (d. 1780); Polychronius Gassmann (d. about 1830); Herculanus Oberrauch (d. 1808); Ireneo Aff'o (d. 1797); Sanctan- tonio Cimarosto (d. 1847); Adalbert Wailiel (d. 18.52); Chiaro Vascotti (d. 1860); Gabriele Tonini (d. about 1870); Antonio Maria of Vicenza (d. 1884); Melchior Stanislaus of Cerreto (d. 1871); Petrus von Hiitzl (d. 1902 as Bishop of Augsburg); Bernaril van Loo (d. 1885); Fidelis a Fanna (d. 1881); Ignatius Jeiler (d. 1704); Marcellino da Civezza (d. 1906).

The Franciscans did not, like other orders, confine themselves to any particular Scholastic school (system). They were more attached to the teachings of Duns Scotus, perhaps, than to the School of St. Bonaventure, but there was no official compulsion in the matter.

Among the many naturalists, artists, and poets ol the order may be mentioned: Thomas of Celano (d. about 1255), author of the "Dies Ira-"; Giacomino of Verona (c. 1300), a precursor of Dante; St. Bonaven- ture (d. 1274); Jacopone of Todi (d. 1306), author of the "Stabat Mater; John Brugman (d. 1473):Gregor Marti6 (d. 1905), the Croatian poet. Among the musicians: Julian of Speyer (d. about 1255); Bona- venture of Brescia (fifteenth century) ; Pietro Canuzzi ; Luigi Gross! of Viadana (d. 1627); Domenico Caten- acci (d. about 1791); David Moretti (d. 1842); Petrus Singer (d. 1882). Among the naturalists may be mentioned: Roger Bacon (d. 1294); the so-called