On the great affliction the Franciscan Order had at the time of Pope John XXII, and how the shape of the habit was changed

May 16, 2025

(61) From 1206 until 1328 all the Order of Saint Francis used to wear the shape of habit that the Capuchin Friars wear now. So the pointed cowl was worn by the entire Order of Saint Francis for 122 years. I will now tell the reason why Pope John XXII deprived the entire Order of the pointed cowl.

On the 7 August 1316 at Lyon in France Cardinal Jaques of Cahors was elected Supreme Pontiff and who then became John XXII. At the time there were very difficult problems because of Louis the Bavarian, the Duke of Bavaria. These troubles will be described in their place. The reasons for the anger of His Holiness towards the Order will be given last.

(62) The differences that came between the Pope and the Bavarian were these. The first was that the Emperor supported the heretics at Milan and in other parts of Lombardy where they were. He did the same for a certain sect called the Ghibellines, who were enemies of Holy Church. Moreover, Louis the Duke of Bavaria was not elected Emperor canonically but with deception. He was never true Emperor because of the false election and also because the Pope never wanted to confirm his election. Neither did the two Popes after John. The second reason was that he, even though the Pope commanded him, never wanted to obey and give way to Frederick of Austria who was also elected Emperor. Instead, he had him imprisoned. The third reason was this. Unjustly and against the will of the Pope the Emperor waged many wars in Germany, persecuting those who were opposed to his desire to usurp the Emperor. Then he came to Italy and committed many evils. Finally he came to Rome and had himself crowned by certain schismatic and excommunicated Prelates. The schismatics declared that the Pope was not the true Pope. From among these he elected another pope and made many laws in Rome against His Holiness. All these things he did unjustly, falsely calumniating His Holiness and making himself a judge over those things in which he had no authority.

(63) The reasons why His Holiness was angry at the Order were these, and they began in 1322. The Supreme Pontiff’s anger towards the Order was not without cause. Some learned persons who thought they knew much opposed him on a certain opinion regarding the poverty of Christ. This will be described below. The Order was innocent, but because of these learned men who governed the Order, His Holiness took grievance with the whole Order. These proud men nearly ruined the Order completely by opposing His Holiness so boldly and unjustly.

This was the first reason. In Provence a Master in sacred Theology of the Order of Minors preached publicly that Christ our Saviour and his Apostles owned nothing, neither in common nor individually. Because of these words and their false teaching many who said that the Pope, Cardinals and other church Prelates could not and should not own anything. This teaching reached the ears of His Holiness. Almost all the other Religious and important preachers rose up and opposed this false opinion. They claimed that Judas was bursar and carried the money given them as alms. In Samaria the disciples went to buy some bread. In the Acts of the Apostles we see that the Apostles led such a life shown them in fact by the Supreme Master. On the other hand there was no shortage of those who said the opposite and defended the opinion just exposed by the said Master. These were those learned Franciscan Friars who aligned to that view. An so the Pope became so angry, as did the Court, that in 1322, the seventh year of his Pontificate, he issued that other Extravagantes which is likewise included in the Clementina in the Chapter Ad conditorem canonum. There he concludes that according to their Rule the Friars Minor can have ownership in common. Except for their churches, oratories, monasteries, dwellings, books, vessels and vessels dedicated to sacred worship, the dominion over the things that they have for their use should not be considered to belong to the Church. He did away with procurators and administrators and many other things in favour of the Order. For the sake of brevity I will not mention all of these, things that all the other Supreme Pontiffs granted before and after him.

Once he had done this and had somewhat calmed down his soul, which had been agitated because of the displeasing and new doctrine you’ve just heard, the Supreme Pontiff ordered the General, Fra Michele, and other learned men of the Order to declare themselves upon the matter that had been brought out into the open. So for the time-being the rumours and whispers were silenced to some degree. In the year 1325 the General Chapter was convened in Perugia where Fra Michele and the delegates, who were learned men, there was much debate on the question. Finally many of them declared that they were of the same opinion as the previously mentioned Master. After the Chapter Fra Michele went personally into the presence of His Holiness and told him of the resolution of these learned men. He also offered to defend it.

On hearing that a General Chapter had arrived at such a profane opinion, without respect for His Holiness and all the other Orders that held the opposite view, His Holiness and all the major Prelates both of the Court and of the religious Orders were so annoyed that they again railed against the Franciscan Order even more than before. All this happened because of the pride and audacity of those learned men. They grieved the poor Order, which in all this was without fault and truly innocent. However there was no shortage of detractors in the presence of His Holiness. These uttered every evil they could about the poor Order.

Among all the other upsets that those learned men caused, one of the main ones was this. The General at the time, Fra Michele da Cesena, said openly that the Pope was not the true Pope. He also said the Pope’s opinion smacked of heresy. After him William of Ockham, one of the great learned men in the Franciscan Order at the time, boldly wrote against the Extravagante of His Holiness and sided with the schismatic Emperor. Thus he showed himself quite opposed to His Holiness as did Fra Michele and his adherents. Because of this the Pope assumed such an attitude towards the Order that he was determined to persecute and destroy it completely if God would allowed it. Hence in its anguish and tears the Order had become a mockery among the people, singled out by everyone.

(64) At the height of these tribulations though, the compassionate God wanted to give the Order a helping hand and some relief. The Order was rebutted by everyone, but God knew its innocence. He punished and drove away those learned men who caused so much harm. He showed the Order, which was innocent, to be even more beautiful and exquisite than ever before. This was something truly miraculous because the Supreme Pontiff was so bent against the Order. However, as the authority of Scripture is accustomed to say, “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. God inspired the Supreme Pontiff and he chose as Cardinals two of his sons who were both Friars Minor from the Aquitaine. One was called Frate Vitale du Four. The other one nominated was Frate Bertrand da Turre. Both were very learned and each carried his mother Order carved upon his heart. The creation of these two Cardinals checked the tongues that earlier had barked against the Order and muzzled the teeth that had snapped at it earlier. Consequently our opponents remained mostly silent. Whenever needed, these cardinals answered in favour of the Order and defended it without fear of any person.

Throughout Christendom there was no shortage of high ranking persons who, with faith and devotion for the Order, defended it. In the presence of His Holiness they were able to do a lot. Among those who wanted to speak up unambiguously for the greater reputation of the Order, the first one to extol the Order of Friars Minor was the Lord Infante of Aragon, the Patriarch of Alexandria. He was such a devotee of the Order of Minors that he always wore the habit underneath all his clerical attire. With strength and courage he defended the Order considerably. He wrote to His Holiness saying that he would give his life and everything he had in the world to defend the Order of Saint Francis. The second was John, the most serene Emperor of Great Tartary. The Friars Minor had converted him and his mother to the faith and baptised them and continuously nurtured them in the holy faith. When this holy Emperor died he was entombed with great pomp, according to Imperial custom, at Saint John’s, the house of the Friars Minor about three miles from Sarai, the Imperial city of the Tartars. Later the Friars wanted to flee to the city because of the wars around them. They did not want to leave that holy body behind and took it with them into the city of Sarai. There was something marvelous! Although he had been in the tomb thirty-five years they found the body fresh and intact as if he had just been buried. The cloths and clothing and the silk pillow were intact and without decayed. They were as unblemished as the day they were placed in the tomb. Both the faithful and non-believers considered this a great miracle.

When this reached the ears of His Holiness his attitude towards the Order softened considerably. And at that time many holy Friars, burning with holy zeal for the faith, were preaching that faith very fervently among non-believers and received from them holy martyrdom. This gave great comfort to the holy Order and these examples sparked a greater devotion than before among seculars. In France particularly, in the city of Paris, on the 11 October 1324, at the height of the tribulations, the very holy Count of Ariano – called Elzear – passed away to the Lord amid many holy miracles. He belonged to the Third Order of Saint Francis. Among the many wonderful things the Lord worked through this servant of his was this. For twenty eight years he lived in virginity with his Dauphine consort, though both slept in the same bed. Both were very handsome and physically beautiful. He died in the arms of Brother Francis Meyronnes, a very holy and learned man of the Order of Minors. This increased everyone’s devotion towards the Order, especially His Holiness, and significantly checked the audacity of those in the Papal Court who snapped at the Order.

Lost devotion for the Order recovered considerably also because of the many great miracles that God worked through the merits of the Bishop, Saint Louis, who was canonised in that time by Pope John. Hence the brother of Saint Louis, King Robert and his consort the Queen Sanzia, wrote a very comforting letter to the General Chapter. He said he would expend all he had in the world for the Order, including his own life if necessary. The Queen wrote that she was prepared if necessary to be sacrificed for the Order.

Also the most serene King of France Phillip VI did not fail to write to His Holiness to inform him about what he had done for the Order of Saint Francis. He wrote it in person. The devotion of this holy king towards the Order was such that he never rested until he could give the Order his dearest possession in the world – his daughter Queen Bianca, whom he made a nun in the monastery of Loschcamps. He left instructions that his body be buried with the Friars Minor after he died. He said, “All the things I have received from God, and I thank His Majesty for the merits of Saint Francis and his holy Order. I would spend my life and everything I possess in the world for the Order.”

Sanchez, King of Castille, was also very supportive towards the poor Order at that time of great tribulation. Similarly he offered himself for all the needs and favours necessary for the preservation of the Order. He was so devoted towards it that he wanted to die in the Minor habit and be buried with it in the house of the Friars. Also his successor King Alfonso the Most Christian did not fail to write to His Holiness, offering himself to the Order in all its needs. He said that, in his view, nothing he did pleased God more than to spend his life and possessions for the Order of Saint Francis. The King of Portugal was the same. At his death he wanted to die in the habit and be buried in the house of the Friars Minor with his queen consort. She built the monastery of Saint Clare and also wanted to be buried there in the habit.

Similarly the King of Aragon who, because of the great devotion he had for the Order, had himself dressed in the habit of the Order when he was ill. He made a vow to the Lord God: delivered from the sickness he would never remove that habit. However, when he passed away to the Lord he had arranged for his body to be buried in that habit. His name was King James. When he knew he had to die he called for his son called King Peter. With great tenderness he recommended to him the Order of Friars Minor which he had carried carved in his heart. From then on, like his father, he was always very devoted. When he was dying in Barcelona he wished to be buried in the habit in the friary of Caesar Augusta. The King of Majorca was the same way. He was devoted to the Order. With his consort Queen Esclarmonde he loved the Order so dearly that with one accord and great devotion they offered to the Order their first born son James. Dressed in the Minor habit he always lived in the Order. He never wanted to accept any status and always persevered in the true observance of the Rule. He passed away to the Lord full of virtue and holy merits.

Similarly, during this time of great tribulation, the nephew of Saint Louis the Bishop (the son of his brother) reigned in Hungary. When he heard of the grave afflictions of the poor Order and because of the great affection he had for it, he wrote to His Holiness. His letter was very beneficial. Moreover, he turned the whole kingdom of Hungary to devotion towards the Friars Minor.

I don’t want to omit saying something about the King of Cyprus, King Henry who ruled at that time. His holiness and great love for the Order were such that, even though he was married, he remained the purest virgin until his death. This was because he desired so much to be numbered among the holy and chaste virgins of the Order of Saint Francis. Since he could not live in the Order because of the office he held, and since he was married, he wanted to imitate Father Saint Francis in what he could and die a chaste virgin, wearing the Minor habit in his heart. Before he died, he put on that habit. He wanted to die in it. He was buried in the friary at Nicosia. Since the Lord God wanted to show how pleased he was with this servant of his, he worked many miracles through King Henry’s merits at his tomb.

The majority, if not all of these great persons, wrote to His Holiness to preserve and defend the Order of Saint Francis. There were many others too, whom I omit so as not to bore the reader.

The holy Order received great support from many very holy people who adorned the Church of God at the time with their holy lives and miracles. Many learned men also defended the Order from heresy with their holy preaching. Due to their holiness and learning many of them were appointed to important Prelatures as Patriarchs, Cardinals and Archbishops. Since there was a great plague in different parts of the world at the time many of those good Friars went to serve the infected. This service gave an excellent example to all Christendom.

(65) Hence His Holiness softened and he restored his devotion towards the Order. He clearly understood that this matter was not a defect of the Order but of a few learned men and their followers who proudly opposed him. In 1328 His Holiness ordered a General Chapter to be held in Bologna. The Most Reverend Cardinal Bertrand mentioned earlier was sent to the Chapter as Apostolic Commissary. Despite this man’s dignity and great authority, the Friars decided nevertheless to confirm Fra Michele as their General because of the lobbying and inducements of his followers. The Cardinal sensed this. As soon as he became aware of the matter he quickly notified the Supreme Pontiff in Avignon by post. With a new Brief the Holy Father made him Cardinal Vicar of the whole Order. For his part he was to do all he could to depose Fra Michele without installing another General and to continue with the Chapter. He wanted the Cardinal to be Vicar General of the entire Order until the next General Chapter. In this way Fra Michele was deposed, who despite the commands of His Holiness, had usurped and retained the office of the Generalate. He had governed about twelve years since becoming General in 1316 and was deposed in Bologna in 1328.

(66) In order to identify the presumptuous Friars who opposed him, the Pope wanted those obedient to him to remove the pointed cowl from their shoulders and attach a round one, with nothing attached to the front just like the habit the Spanish Reformati wear. However he left free those who sided with Fra Michele whether to wear the pointed cowl or not. His Holiness doubted that they would have obeyed him if he constrained them since they hadn’t obeyed his other commands. Hence the Order divided because nearly the entire Order took up the round cowl. The few who remained obstinate in the faction didn’t want to remove that cowl and cut themselves off from the others. Not long after, though, out of compunction for their error, the majority of them returned with great humility to the Order. The few who remained obstinate all quickly came to grief.

(67) Therefore this was the reason the pointed cowl disappeared. His Holiness was moved not only because of this anger but because the Order had become lax and there was great contention among the Friars. Some of the more ardent Friars wore coarse habits and long cowls like Saint Francis and all the early Fathers. Such was the case with the Reform that began in Narbonne, which will be described in its turn. Other Friars were very lax. Lacking Friars zealous for the observance of the Rule they wore fine habits with a small, though pointed, cowl. Many of these dropped the cowl onto their backs while on their heads they wore a little pointed biretta. His Holiness often tried to pacify and reunite them by defining certain passages of the Rule. We see this clearly in the Memoriale dell’Ordine. However the Friars did not calm down. New conflicts emerged between the zealous and the lax Friars, particularly those who stored grain and wine, received money casually and did many other things opposed to the integrity of the Rule. His Holiness thought he would silence these arguments. He commanded that the grain stores and other things come under the jurisdiction of the Prelates and that in regard to the habit they all wear the same kind of cloth. As for the cowl, where there was the greatest difference of opinion, all were to wear it rounded in some way. This was the main reason for the disappearance of the pointed cowl and it was right. This happened mainly not because of His Holiness, except as an instrument of God and Vicar of Christ, but because of bad sons of the Seraphic Francis who at the time cared little for the observance of the Rule. Since they were ashamed to wear the pointed cowl, His Majesty allowed them to be deprived of it. What a great loss this was because as they began to like beautiful robes they sought ever better cloth. Father Saint Francis wore his habit for the sake of greater poverty, to despise the world more and to afflict his body. The lax Friars instead looked for style in their robes for the sake of vainglory, as well as softness for their sensuality, and a nice colour so as to be pampered by the world.