Fraticelli facts for kids

The Fraticelli (which means "Little Brethren" in Italian) were a group of Franciscans who believed very strongly in following the original rules of Saint Francis of Assisi. They especially cared about poverty, meaning they thought the Church and its leaders should not own much wealth. They felt that the Church's riches were wrong. Because of their strong beliefs, the Fraticelli were declared heretics (meaning their beliefs were seen as going against official Church teachings) in 1296 by Pope Boniface VIII.

The name Fraticelli was used for different groups that appeared in the 1200s, 1300s, and 1400s, mostly in Italy. These groups separated from the main Franciscan Order because of disagreements about how strictly they should live in poverty. It's important to know that there were different kinds of Fraticelli. The main ones were the Fraticelli de Paupere Vita and the Fraticelli de Opinione (also known as Michaelites).

The Apostolics were a different group and not part of the Fraticelli. Their founder, Gerard Segarelli, was not allowed to join the Franciscan Order. The Apostolics actually wanted to get rid of the Franciscans.

Umberto Eco's famous novel The Name of the Rose tells a story that takes place during the time when the Fraticelli were being persecuted.

Understanding the Name Fraticelli

The word Fraticelli comes from the Italian word frate, which means "brother." This word was often shortened to Fra when talking about members of religious groups.

"Frati" was a name for members of the mendicant orders (religious groups that lived by begging) that started in the 1200s, especially the Franciscans. The founder of the Franciscans, Saint Francis of Assisi, wanted his followers to live very simply. He wanted them to be poor, deny themselves things, and be humble. This way, they could help people turn back to Christ. In Italy, people called all members of religious orders, especially those who begged or lived as hermits, "Fraticelli."

Why the Fraticelli Started

Early Franciscans were traveling preachers. They followed Francis of Assisi's teaching from the Bible: "Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt." Living this way meant they had to beg for food and other needs. Over time, this caused problems. It was hard on the friars, and it also caused tension with people who were asked for help often.

As the Franciscan Order grew, it needed to take care of sick or older friars. It also needed to support members who went to university to study. This led to a split in the order. One group was called the Zelanti, or Spirituals. They strictly followed Saint Francis's rule of poverty and lived simple, separate lives. The other group was called the Relaxati, later known as the Conventuals. They lived in convents in towns, took care of churches, and focused on studying and preaching. This meant they needed to own books and church items.

To help the friars keep their "holy poverty," Pope Gregory IX came up with a legal idea. Gifts given to the Franciscans would actually belong to the Holy See (the Pope's authority), but the friars could use them. This way, they didn't have to be completely without anything. Later, Pope Innocent IV allowed Franciscans to have "procurators" (people who managed things for them) to buy, sell, and manage goods. Pope Nicholas III confirmed this in 1279. However, the "Spirituals" felt this went against the true spirit of Saint Francis's rule. They believed in a much stricter use of property. These differences were never fully resolved.

Different Groups of Fraticelli

There were several different groups of Fraticelli, each with their own leaders and slightly different ideas.

Angelo da Clareno and the "Clareni"

The first Fraticelli group was started by Brother Angelo da Clareno. Angelo and some other friars were put in prison around 1278. But they were freed by a Franciscan leader and sent to Armenia. There, the king welcomed them, but the local church leaders were not happy. So, they were forced to leave Armenia in 1293.

They returned to Italy. In 1294, Celestine V, a Pope known for his simple life, allowed them to live as hermits and strictly follow the Rule of St. Francis. He freed them from obeying their Franciscan leaders and made them a separate group called Poor Hermits.

After Celestine V resigned, the new Pope, Boniface VIII, took back all of Celestine's permissions. The Clareni then moved to Greece. They later returned to Italy to defend themselves. Their leader, Fra Liberatus, tried to get their rights back from Boniface VIII and then from Benedict XI, but both Popes died soon after. When Liberatus died in 1307, Angelo da Clareno became the new leader.

Angelo went to Avignon (where the Pope lived at the time) and successfully defended himself against charges of heresy. However, in 1317, John XXII declared Angelo excommunicated (kicked out of the Church). Angelo was forced to wear the clothes of a Celestine hermit. He later returned to Italy and continued to lead his followers.

Angelo's followers believed their rule was like the Gospel (the teachings of Jesus). They thought that since the Pope couldn't change the Gospel, he also couldn't change or explain their rule in any way other than its exact meaning. As time went on, the Fraticelli became even more against the Pope.

Angelo died in 1337. Without their leader, the group became less organized and split into smaller parts.

Fraticelli de Paupere Vita

Another main group of Fraticelli were the Spirituals who moved from Tuscany to Sicily. They were first called Rebellious Brothers, but later became known as the "Fraticelli de paupere vita" (Fraticelli of the poor life).

In 1309, the differences between the Relaxati and the Spirituals became very serious. Pope Clement V tried to settle their arguments. He issued a rule that explained Saint Francis's rule more strictly, which supported the Spirituals. However, this only made the Relaxati leaders act more strongly against the Zelanti.

Around 1312, some Tuscan Spirituals left their monasteries and took over others by force. About fifty of them, fearing punishment, fled to Sicily. Pope Clement V ordered them to return to obedience, but most ignored him. They were then excommunicated. Since they couldn't stay in Tuscany, they all went to Sicily. King Frederick of Sicily welcomed them after checking their rules. Fra Enrico da Ceva became their leader.

Pope John XXII told King Frederick to take strong action against them. The Pope also noted that these friars had chosen their own leaders. In 1318, Pope John XXII excommunicated them, saying they had five main errors:

• They called the Roman Church "worldly" and corrupt.
• They said Roman priests had no power.
• They forbade taking oaths.
• They taught that sinful priests could not give sacraments.
• They claimed they were the only true followers of the Gospel.

After being forced out of Sicily, some settled in Naples.

Michaelites

This third group of Fraticelli got their name from Michael of Cesena (who died in 1342). He was their main leader. This name became popular in the 1400s, and this group had a big influence on the ideas of other Fraticelli groups.

The conflict started in 1321 between the Dominicans and Franciscans. The main question was whether it was wrong to say that Christ and his Apostles owned no property, either individually or together. A Dominican leader said it was wrong, but a Franciscan defended the idea. This quickly became a big argument between the two orders. Both the Relaxati and Zelanti Franciscans agreed that Christ and the Apostles lived in absolute poverty.

Because this argument was so important to the Franciscan rule, a large meeting of the order was held in Perugia in 1322. The leaders of the order, including Michael of Cesena, strongly declared that Christ lived in "absolute poverty."

Pope John XXII was angry about this. In 1322, he issued a rule saying that the Roman Church would no longer claim ownership of the Franciscans' goods. He said that ownership could not be separated from using something. The Franciscans were upset because this attacked their long-held beliefs about poverty.

A Franciscan lawyer named Bonagrazia of Bergamo protested against this rule to the Pope. Even though the Pope changed the rule slightly, he put Bonagrazia in prison. In 1323, Pope John XXII declared that saying Christ and the Apostles owned no property was heresy.

The argument between the Pope and the Franciscans soon became political. The Franciscans became advisors to Louis IV the Bavarian, the King of Germany, who was also fighting with the Pope. King Louis even wrote a strong letter against Pope John XXII, calling him a "heretic" for changing the idea of Christ's poverty. This letter was influenced by the Franciscans. As a result, Louis IV was excommunicated.

In 1327, Michael of Cesena was called to Avignon by the Pope. Fearing punishment, he secretly fled to Pisa with Bonagrazia and William of Occam. They then went to Bavaria with King Louis.

Meanwhile, King Louis entered Rome and had himself crowned Emperor. He also appointed a Franciscan, Pietro Rainalducci, as an antipope (a Pope who is not officially recognized) named Nicholas V. The three Franciscans who fled Avignon stayed in Bavaria until they died.

Pope John XXII removed Michael as the head of the Franciscan order. He appointed a new leader who convinced most of the order to obey the Pope. Michael of Cesena and his followers, the Michaelites, were rejected by the main order. The Pope also started legal actions against them everywhere. The Michaelites denied that John XXII was the rightful Pope and called him and his successors heretics.

Records show that Michaelites were present in many places, including England, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Sicily, and other areas. They continued to spread their beliefs, often facing persecution.

Fraticelli in Naples

It becomes hard to tell the different Fraticelli groups apart in Naples and Calabria. King Robert and Queen Sanzia of Naples greatly respected Saint Francis and his followers. They even had Franciscans as chaplains. Philip of Majorca, the queen's brother, was also very supportive of the Spiritual Franciscans and admired Angelo da Clareno.

In 1328, Philip asked Pope John XXII for permission for himself and other Franciscans to follow the Rule of St. Francis exactly, without obeying the main order's leaders. The Pope refused. The Pope had to keep reminding King Robert to take action against the Fraticelli. Some Fraticelli even joined the Michaelites.

In 1331, the Pope told King Robert to publish the decrees against Michael of Cesena in his kingdom. However, Philip of Majorca openly preached against the Pope. Because of the royal family's influence, a court chaplain named Fra Andrea of Galiano was found innocent in a trial, even though he was still in touch with Michael of Cesena and his followers.

In 1336, "short-robed" Fraticelli still lived in the Santa Chiara monastery in Naples and other parts of the kingdom. Pope Benedict XII demanded their expulsion. In 1344, Pope Clement VI had to repeat these orders.

By 1362, some followers of Clareno were still in Naples. Louis of Durazzo, a nephew of King Robert, even kept some Fraticelli in a hospital near his castle and attended their services. These Fraticelli were divided into three groups, but all agreed that the true papacy had ended with Pope John XXII.

Between 1363 and 1370, Franciscans finally took over several monasteries in Calabria and Sicily that the Fraticelli had occupied. But in 1372, Pope Gregory XI complained that the "ashes and bones of Fraticelli were honored as relics of saints in Sicily."

Other Areas and Later History

The Fraticelli had a lot of freedom in Perugia. They lived wherever they wanted, often in the country homes of rich people. They even publicly insulted the main Franciscans. It seems these Fraticelli had elected their own popes, bishops, and generals, and were split into different groups. The main Franciscans called in Fra Paoluccio of Trinci, who started the Observants, to help. He was successful in arguing with the Fraticelli, and the people drove them out of the city. These Fraticelli likely believed that the Roman papacy had stopped being true with John XXII or Celestine V, and that only they were the true Church.

Popes continued to issue decrees against the Fraticelli. In 1415, the city of Florence officially banned the "Fraticelli of the poor life." In 1426, Pope Martin V appointed St. John Capistran and St. James of the Marches as special investigators to act against the Fraticelli. These leaders worked hard and successfully weakened the group. In 1415, the city of Florence had officially banished the "Fraticelli of the poor life, the followers of Michelino of Cesena of infamous memory."

John of Capistrano and James of the Marches destroyed many of their settlements and scattered their members. Some Fraticelli were even burned at the stake in Florence and Fabriano.

Later, in 1466, some Fraticelli were captured in Assisi. They were imprisoned, and their protectors were also jailed. However, they also received protection from powerful noble families. It is said that the Fraticelli had many other communities and an important center in Greece, where they sought refuge. They often held their meetings at night in private homes.

Many writings were published during this time to argue against the Fraticelli's ideas. Even with all the persecution, some small groups of the original Fraticelli survived, but their power was greatly reduced.

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