Alvarus Pelagius
Encyclopedia
Álvaro Pelayo (ca. 1280, Salnés
, Galicia-25 January 1352, Seville
) was a celebrated Spanish canonist.
at Bologna
, but in 1304 resigned his benefice
s, and entered the Franciscan Order. He is said to have been a pupil of Duns Scotus
and to have been tutor to the children of Don Pedro, Regent of Portugal. Certain it is that he became penitentiary
to Pope John XXII
at Avignon
, that he enjoyed much favour with this pontiff, and was employed by him to refute the claims of the antipope
Pietro Rainalducci of Corbario. In 1333 Alvarus became titular Bishop of Coron
in Achaia, and two years later was appointed to the See of Sylves in Portugal. He also served as Apostolic nuncio in Portugal, but was not created cardinal
, as some writers have asserted. He was buried in the Monastery of St. Clare at Seville.
, is notable not only for its extreme defence of ecclesiastical rights but still more, perhaps, for the freedom and force with which the author assails and rebukes the ecclesiastical abuses of his time. Alvarus has been reproached by St. Antoninus and others with having too far favoured the error of the Fraticelli
about poverty, but, as Sbaralea
shows, it is not difficult to justify him against this charge. On the then agitated question of poverty in the Franciscan Order he wrote with less passion and with more weight than Ubertino da Casale, although he addressed almost the same reproaches as the latter to the relaxed friars within the order. The De planctu was first published at Ulm
in 1474. This edition is very rare, and is not free from error. Later editions appeared at Venice (1500) and at Lyons (1517).
Besides the "De planctu", Wadding
attributed to Alvarus the following: "Collyrium adversus haereses"; "Speculum regum" (one book); "Super sentent. libros 4"; "Apologia contra Marsilum Patav. et Guliel. Ocham"; and other unedited works.
O Salnés
O Salnés is a comarca in the Galician Province of Pontevedra. The overall population of this local region is 107,618 .-Municipalities:...
, Galicia-25 January 1352, Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
) was a celebrated Spanish canonist.
Life
Alvarus studied Canon lawCanon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, but in 1304 resigned his benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
s, and entered the Franciscan Order. He is said to have been a pupil of Duns Scotus
Duns Scotus
Blessed John Duns Scotus, O.F.M. was one of the more important theologians and philosophers of the High Middle Ages. He was nicknamed Doctor Subtilis for his penetrating and subtle manner of thought....
and to have been tutor to the children of Don Pedro, Regent of Portugal. Certain it is that he became penitentiary
Penitentiary
Penitentiary may refer to:* Prison or penitentiary, a correctional facility* Apostolic Penitentiary, a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Roman Catholic Church* Penitentiary...
to Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, that he enjoyed much favour with this pontiff, and was employed by him to refute the claims of the antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
Pietro Rainalducci of Corbario. In 1333 Alvarus became titular Bishop of Coron
Coron
Coron can refer to the following things:* Coron, Palawan, a municipality in Palawan in the Philippines* Coron Island, under the jurisdiction of the municipality, Philippines* Coron, Maine-et-Loire, a commune in the Maine-et-Loire département in France...
in Achaia, and two years later was appointed to the See of Sylves in Portugal. He also served as Apostolic nuncio in Portugal, but was not created cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, as some writers have asserted. He was buried in the Monastery of St. Clare at Seville.
Works
Alvarus is chiefly remarkable for his work De planctu ecclesiae libri duo. This work, begun at Avignon in 1330, completed in 1332, corrected in 1335 and again in 1340 at CompostelaSantiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, is notable not only for its extreme defence of ecclesiastical rights but still more, perhaps, for the freedom and force with which the author assails and rebukes the ecclesiastical abuses of his time. Alvarus has been reproached by St. Antoninus and others with having too far favoured the error of the Fraticelli
Fraticelli
The Fraticelli, sometimes confusingly called Fratricelli, were medieval Roman Catholic groups that could trace their origins to the Franciscans, but which came into being as a separate entity. The Fraticelli were declared heretical by the Church in 1296 by Boniface VIII...
about poverty, but, as Sbaralea
Sbaralea
Giovanni or Gian Giacinto Sbaraglia , otherwise Joannes Hyacinthus Sbaralea, was a historian of the Franciscan Order.Works include Supplementum et castigatio ad scriptores trium ordinum S. Francisi and...
shows, it is not difficult to justify him against this charge. On the then agitated question of poverty in the Franciscan Order he wrote with less passion and with more weight than Ubertino da Casale, although he addressed almost the same reproaches as the latter to the relaxed friars within the order. The De planctu was first published at Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
in 1474. This edition is very rare, and is not free from error. Later editions appeared at Venice (1500) and at Lyons (1517).
Besides the "De planctu", Wadding
Wadding
Wadding is a disc of material used in guns to seal gas behind a projectile or to separate powder from shot.Wadding can be crucial to a gun's efficiency, since any gas that leaks past a projectile as it is being fired is wasted. A harder or more carefully designed item which serves this purpose is...
attributed to Alvarus the following: "Collyrium adversus haereses"; "Speculum regum" (one book); "Super sentent. libros 4"; "Apologia contra Marsilum Patav. et Guliel. Ocham"; and other unedited works.