Preaching, the city, and the saints: an analysis of the civic-liturgical context of the Venit in civitatem suam sermons (1304) by Giordano da Pisa (c. 1260-1311)

Aléssio Alonso Alves

doi:10.1590/1806-93472020v40n85-10

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the civic-liturgical context of three sermons by the friar Preacher Giordano da Pisa, delivered during a same week of 1304 in Florence (two on Sunday and one on Thursday), all of them from the verse of Matthew 9, 1 (Venit in civitatem suam). Based on considerations regarding the choice of the biblical verse, as well as the examination of other documents of the Dominican Order and two liturgical books of the Florentine cathedral, I argue that the friar deliberately chose not to follow the liturgical customs of sermon composition in these preachings. Thus, it is concluded that this procedure was made to establish a reflection on the city (the quintessential human environment, both on Earth and in Heaven) in view of the civic-religious feast of Saint Reparata, Florence’s patroness saint, which took place on Thursday.

Highlights

This article explores the civic-liturgical context of three sermons by the friar Preacher Giordano da Pisa, delivered during a same week of 1304 in Florence, all of them from the verse of Matthew 9, 1 (Venit in civitatem suam)
Due to the presence of all the city clergy and probably the large number of people present, the second preaching they were waiting for was performed outside the church (Giordano da Pisa, 1831, p. 88; Toker, 2009, p. 278-279)1;the building, with modest proportions and already in process of being demolished for the construction of a new cathedral, would not hold such a large number of spectators (Thompson, 2005, p. 30-123; Toker, 2009, p. 3) 2.The sermon had been charged to the lector and Preacher General of the Dominican Order, friar Giordano da Pisa (c. 1260-1311) (Delcorno, 1975, p. 3-28; Delcorno, 2001; Corbari, 2008, p. 49-58)3
By preferring the verse of Matthew 9, 1 as thema of all of these three preachings of October, 1304, Giordano consciously ignored the liturgical customs of sermon composition on all occasions – something quite exceptional in all his activities as a preacher

Summary

Aléssio Alonso Alves*

Este artigo explora o contexto cívico-litúrgico de três sermões do frade Pregador Giordano de Pisa, pronunciados em uma mesma semana de 1304 em Florença (dois no domingo e um na quinta-feira), todos a partir do versículo de Mateus 9, 1 (Venit in civitatem suam). Com base em considerações a respeito da escolha do versículo bíblico, bem como do exame de outros documentos da Ordem Dominicana e dois livros litúrgicos da catedral florentina, argumenta-se que o frade escolheu deliberadamente não seguir os costumes litúrgicos de composição sermonística nessas pregações. Conclui-se, assim, que isso foi feito com o objetivo de estabelecer uma reflexão sobre a cidade (o ambiente humano por excelência tanto na Terra quanto no Céu), tendo em vista a festa cívico-religiosa de Santa Reparata, padroeira de Florença, que ocorreria na quinta-feira.

Aléssio Alonso Alves

Conclusion

Bibliographic references