Bartholomew of Braganca
Encyclopedia
Blessed Bartholomew di Braganca (or Bartholomew of Vicenza) (c. 1200 – 1 July 1271) was an Italian Dominican
friar
and bishop
. He was born in the city of Vicenza
to the noble family of di Braganca.
He did his studies at Padua
, receiving there the habit
of the recently-founded Order from the hands of St. Dominic himself, at about the age of twenty. Following his ordination as a priest, he quickly came to serve in various positions of leadership in the new Order. According to Friar Leander, author of his earliest biography, he was made Master of the Sacred Palace
in 1235, during the pontificate of Pope Gregory IX
--but there is no mention of this event in his Last Testament, where Bartholomew listed the important offices he had held. During this period, he founded a military order
of knights whose purpose was to establish civil order throughout Italy.
He was appointed to the See
of Nemonicum in Cyprus
in 1248 (what city this was is not known now). While Louis IX of France
was engaged upon his expedition against the Islamic forces ruling the Holy Land
, Bartholomew joined the king and queen at Joppa
, Sidon
, and Acre
--in the capacity of Apostolic legate, according to some writers; his own account merely states that he visited the king and queen at these places. King Louis desired him to make a visit to France, promising rich relics for his church, should he comply with the request.
In 1254, he was sent as legate to the courts of England and France and as Henry III of England
was, at that time, in his realm
in the Aquitaine
, Bartholomew traveled there towards the close of that year, then accompanied the English king and queen to Paris. He was, on this occasion, presented by the King of France with a relic of the true Cross
and a thorn from Jesus
' Crown of Thorns, worn at His Crucifixion
. These he afterwards placed in the beautiful Dominican Church built by him at Vicenza which was known as the Church of the Crown.
Two years later, in order to ensure the presence of so distinguished a prelate at his own court, Pope Alexander IV
made him Bishop of Vicenza, his native city. During his tenure of that see, Bartholomew was subject to the hostility of the local ruler Ezzelino III, a Ghibelline who was noted for the brutality of his rule and who was an strong opponent of Papal power. It has been said that Bartholomew was named Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
, but this is doubtful, his testament being silent on this point also.
He was venerated by the people and, according to the Bollandists, has always been honored with the title of ""Blessed". In recognition of this, he was formally beatified
in 1793. He wrote commentaries on Scripture, was the reputed author of a commentary on the "Hierarchy" of St. Dionysius the Areopagite
, of two volumes of sermons, and some smaller works. His feast day is observed within the Dominican Order on the 27th October.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. He was born in the city of Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
to the noble family of di Braganca.
He did his studies at Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, receiving there the habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
of the recently-founded Order from the hands of St. Dominic himself, at about the age of twenty. Following his ordination as a priest, he quickly came to serve in various positions of leadership in the new Order. According to Friar Leander, author of his earliest biography, he was made Master of the Sacred Palace
Master of the Sacred Palace
In the Roman Catholic Church, Theologian of the Pontifical Household is a Roman Curial office which has always been entrusted to a Friar Preacher of the Dominican Order and may be described as the pope's theologian...
in 1235, during the pontificate of Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
--but there is no mention of this event in his Last Testament, where Bartholomew listed the important offices he had held. During this period, he founded a military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
of knights whose purpose was to establish civil order throughout Italy.
He was appointed to the See
See
See or SEE may refer to:*The act of visual perception*The term "See:" as a form of citation signal*Episcopal see, domain of authority of a bishop*Holy See, the central government of the Roman Catholic Church*See District, Fribourg, Switzerland...
of Nemonicum in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1248 (what city this was is not known now). While Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
was engaged upon his expedition against the Islamic forces ruling the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, Bartholomew joined the king and queen at Joppa
Joppa
Joppa appears in the Bible as the name of the now Israeli city of Yafo, otherwise known as Jaffa.Joppa can also refer to:-Locations:United Kingdom...
, Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, and Acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
--in the capacity of Apostolic legate, according to some writers; his own account merely states that he visited the king and queen at these places. King Louis desired him to make a visit to France, promising rich relics for his church, should he comply with the request.
In 1254, he was sent as legate to the courts of England and France and as Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
was, at that time, in his realm
Realm
A realm is a dominion of a monarch or other sovereign ruler.The Old French word reaume, modern French royaume, was the word first adopted in English; the fixed modern spelling does not appear until the beginning of the 17th century...
in the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
, Bartholomew traveled there towards the close of that year, then accompanied the English king and queen to Paris. He was, on this occasion, presented by the King of France with a relic of the true Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
and a thorn from Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
' Crown of Thorns, worn at His Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
. These he afterwards placed in the beautiful Dominican Church built by him at Vicenza which was known as the Church of the Crown.
Two years later, in order to ensure the presence of so distinguished a prelate at his own court, Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV was Pope from 1254 until his death.Born as Rinaldo di Jenne, in Jenne , he was, on his mother's side, a member of the de' Conti di Segni family, the counts of Segni, like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX...
made him Bishop of Vicenza, his native city. During his tenure of that see, Bartholomew was subject to the hostility of the local ruler Ezzelino III, a Ghibelline who was noted for the brutality of his rule and who was an strong opponent of Papal power. It has been said that Bartholomew was named Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
, but this is doubtful, his testament being silent on this point also.
He was venerated by the people and, according to the Bollandists, has always been honored with the title of ""Blessed". In recognition of this, he was formally beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
in 1793. He wrote commentaries on Scripture, was the reputed author of a commentary on the "Hierarchy" of St. Dionysius the Areopagite
Dionysius the Areopagite
Dionysius the Areopagite was a judge of the Areopagus who, as related in the Acts of the Apostles, , was converted to Christianity by the preaching of the Apostle Paul during the Areopagus sermon...
, of two volumes of sermons, and some smaller works. His feast day is observed within the Dominican Order on the 27th October.
External Sources
- Acta SanctorumActa SanctorumActa Sanctorum is an encyclopedic text in 68 folio volumes of documents examining the lives of Christian saints, in essence a critical hagiography, which is organised according to each saint's feast day. It begins with two January volumes, published in 1643, and ended with the Propylaeum to...
, July, I, 246 sqq.; also May, VII, 692.