Elias of Cortona

Elias Bonusbaro
Born	c. 1180 BevilianearAssisi,Italy
Died	April 22, 1253(1253-04-22)(aged 72–73) Cortona
Other names	Elias Bombarone Elias Cortonensis Elia Coppi Elias of Cortona Brother Elias

Elias of Cortona(c. 1180– 22 April 1253) was a close associate ofSaint Francis of Assisiand one of the earliest followers to join the newly foundedOrder of Friars Minor.A lay brother, he rose to positions of significant leadership within the order, serving as bothvicar generaland minister general. Saint Francis himself appointed Elias vicar general in 1221.

Biography

Early life

According toSalimbene di Adam,a contemporary acquaintance of Elias, his family name was likely Bonusbaro or Bonibarone. Salimbene also reports that Elias's father came from nearBologna,while his mother came fromAssisi.Before joining the Franciscan Order, Elias worked in his father's business, which dealt in confectionary and mattresses. He also served as a teacher, instructing children of Assisi in reading thePsalter.Thomas of Eccleston,another chronicler, suggests that Elias later became ascriptor,or notary, in Bologna, where he presumably pursued further studies.

Elias appears to have been among the earliest companions ofSaint Francis of Assisi.The exact time and place of his joining the order remain uncertain, thoughLuke Wadding,a Franciscan historian, proposes Cortona in 1211. It is clear, however, that Elias held a prominent position among the friars from the outset.

Following a brief stay inTuscany,Elias was appointed head of amissionarygroup sent to theNear Eastin 1217. Two years later, he became the first provincial minister of the then-extensiveSyrian province.In this capacity, he receivedCaesarius of Speyerinto the order. While the specifics of Elias's work in the East remain unclear, the three years he spent there appear to have had a significant impact on him.

Elias remained alay brotherthroughout his life, never taking priestly vows. He instead served as a skilled organizer within the Franciscan Order.

Vicar general

After returning fromAcrein 1220, Francis brought Elias back with him. Francis had previously appointed Peter Catani asvicar generalto manage the order's day-to-day administration. When Peter died on March 10, 1221, demonstrating his trust in Elias, Francis named him vicar-general. Elias held this office for five years until Francis' death on October 3, 1226. He then oversaw the temporary burial of the saint at the Church of San Giorgio in Assisi, an ancient church later incorporated into and replaced by theBasilica di Santa Chiara.

PopeGregory IX,a great patron of the Franciscans and their official protector asCardinalUgolino, entrusted Brother Elias with the task of building a magnificentchurchto house the body of Saint Francis. Elias immediately began planning a grand basilica in Assisi to enshrine the remains of thepoverello.

To finance the basilica's construction, Elias, with papal authorization, obtained the Collis Inferni, a hill at the town's western extremity. He also implemented various fundraising methods, which alienated some friars zealous about poverty, a core Franciscan principle.

Another point of contention was Elias's status as a lay friar and his encouragement of other lay people to join the order. This move faced opposition from manyordainedfriars andministers provincial,who also resisted increasedcentralizationof the order's structure.

This internal opposition led to Elias's rejection at the May 1227 Chapter election for Minister General. Despite his prominence, Elias lost toGiovanni Parenti,the Minister Provincial of Spain, who became the order's newMinister General.

Minister general

Elias's ambition for leadership was realized at theGeneral Chapterof 1232, where he was elected Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, becoming the second to hold this position after the order's founder. However, his succession was met with immediate controversy and caused a rift within the order.

Some of his most vocal critics were early companions of Saint Francis, including the simple Brother Giles, Brother Masseo, andBrother Leo,St. Francis's secretary and confidant. These early followers believed that Elias was straying from Saint Francis's cherished ideal ofcommunal poverty.A prime example for them was the grandeur of the newBasilica of Saint FrancisandSacro Convento,which Elias was overseeing as the final resting place of the holy founder. Despite this criticism, Elias did attempt to uphold the rule of poverty for those closest to Saint Francis, includingSaint Clare of Assisi,the founder of thePoor Clares,with whom he had collaborated to establish the female branch of the Franciscan Order.

Elias's administration was marked by a vigorous effort to expand the order. He sent friars to establish new communities in distant lands and authorized the construction of large, monastic-style residences in cities. These residences served as centers of learning and represented a significant departure from the order's earlier tradition of small, scattered hermitages and a more itinerant lifestyle. This development had two key consequences. First, the concentration of friars in large communities led to friction with established clergy in cities. The faithful increasingly sought the spiritual services of the friars, which strained relations with localparish churches.Second, the new lifestyle fostered a growing distinction between friars residing in established communities (who came to be known as Conventuals) and those who, adhering more closely to the original Franciscan ideal, preferred a more austere and mobile existence (these latter friars were referred to as Spirituals).

In 1238, Pope Gregory IX sent Elias of Cortona as anambassadorto the excommunicated Holy Roman EmperorFrederick II.Elias apparently became a supporter of the Emperor as a result of this mission.

A General Chapter of the Franciscan Order was held inRomein 1239, where Elias was deposed from the office of Minister General. Friar Thomas of Eccleston's account of the Chapter suggests that FriarHaymo of Favershamwas a leading figure in opposing Elias.

Following Elias's deposition,Albert of Pisa,the Minister Provincial of England, was elected Minister General. Elias traveled to Cortona without permission, visiting a house of Poor Clares. Though Albert was willing toabsolvehim, Elias instead went to theGhibellinecity ofArezzo.This prompted Pope Gregory IX toexcommunicatehim.

Albert died during his first year as Minister General. Haymo was then elected to the office in 1240.

In 1240, Elias definitively sided with the Emperor in his conflict with the papacy. He joined the Emperor's army, even riding a richly decorated warhorse at the sieges ofFaenzaandRavenna.Consequently, Pope Gregory IX excommunicated Elias again and expelled him from the Franciscan Order.

The attribution of certainalchemicalmanuscriptsto Elias is often disputed due to a lack of clear evidence.

Shortly before his death, Elias was reconciled with both theHoly Seeand the Franciscan Order, with Saint Clare playing a mediating role.

In April 2016,Ave Maria Presspublished the first popular history about Elias of Cortona titledThe Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started.

Appraisal

Elias is a complex figure within the Franciscan community, whose legacy continues to be debated. This is reflected in the title of the 2016 book, which highlights a critical perspective on his role. However, in the context of theConventualmovement within the Franciscan order, his reputation was reassessed during the 18th century and at the beginning of the 20th century. Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, in his 1923 commentary, encouraged efforts "to clarify more and more the historical truth surrounding the celebrated companion of St. Francis" through a process of "vindication," which entailed acknowledging both his merits and his shortcomings.

References

• Paschal Robinson(1913)."Elias of Cortona".In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links

• "Elias of Cortona; Elias Bonusbaro; Elias Bonibarone",New Catholic Dictionary,1910
• Brady, Kathleen (2021).Francis and Clare: the Struggles of the Saints of Assisi.Lodwin Press, New York.ISBN9781737549802.