The Thirteenth General: Brother Raymond Godfrey

84 Solemn celebration of the Chapter 85 The General does not accept the Episcopate

(84) The thirteenth General was the venerable Father Raymond Godfrey from the Province of Provence who was elected in the Chapter assembled in the city of Arezzo in Tuscany in 1289. The holy Pontiff Nicholas IV was present there with two Cardinals, that is, Brother Bentivenga of Albania and the above mentioned Brother Matthew of Acquasparta. Both were Cardinals of the Order and Bishops of Ostia. In this Chapter, during the second year of his Pontificate the Holy Pontiff himself, by assisting at the election together with the scrutineers, wanted to hear the votes. Charles, the heir to the kingdom of Sicily, was present at the Chapter with his consort. The holy Pontiff crowned them with great solemnity and pomp.

In the same year, on the 28th August and in the second year of his Pontificate, His Holiness confirmed the Rule of the Friars and of the Third Order Sisters.

In the year of 1291, on the 19th May, the Saracens took the city of Ancona and killed or captured more than thirty thousand Christians. All the Friars and Nuns of Saint Clare were cruelly martyred.

(85) When this General assembled the Chapter in Paris in the year 1292, at the requests of the King of France, he received the teaching chair in the faculty of theology.

In the year of the Lord 1294, because of the death of Nicholas IV, who died in 1292 during holy week, the See was vacant for two years and three months. In this time Celestine V was elected and he renounced the Papacy. The following year Boniface VIII was elected on the Feast of Christmas. The same Pope chose this General as Bishop of Padua and absolved him from the office of General. Since he didn’t want to accept the Episcopate, he remained a subject and deprived from the office of the General.