ТОМ 2
CHAPTER II
Belcaro, 1377
… Meanwhile she was engaged in a
rather important undertaking of a more private character. The reader, we hope,
has not forgotten Master Nanni di Ser Vanni, who had by her means been induced
to make peace with his enemies, and who, in token of gratitude, had made over
to her his castle
of Belcaro Avignon ; ant the Bull to
that effect was preserved with some other privileges granted her by the Pontiff
in the convent of SS. John and Paul at Venice, where it was seen by Caffarini,
as he tell us in his depositions. But there existed in Siena a statute forbidding the alienation of
strong places without the consent of the Magistrates. Catherine, therefore, had
to present her petition to the Magnificent Lords Defenders of the Republic, and
the document is still preserved in the State Archives, and bears date January
25th 1376, that is in our style 1377. In it “Catherine, the daughter
of Monna Lapa of the Contrada of Fontebranda,” declares to the Magnificent
Lords that Nanni di Ser Vanni, knowing how the said Catherine decided, for her
soul’s health, to built and construct a monastery, has determined to make over
to her the site of his castle of Belcaro; that she has procured the necessary
powers from the Sovereign Pontiff, and that although the place cannot be called
a fortress, inasmuch as it is dismantled and decayed, nevertheless she desires
not to begin to built without license of the Commune. She reminds them that
their decree against their alienation of strong places was not intended to
forbid the construction of churches or monasteries, but only to prevent evil
men from possessing themselves of such places to the danger of the State; but
that in the monastery she intended to erect, there would be received only
religious women who would continually pray for the city and inhabitants of
Siena; and that the citizens would be partakers of all their good works. Her
petition was put to the vote and granted by 333 white beans against 65 blacks.
The new monastery was therefore
begun, and though we have no particulars left us regarding the subsequent
establishment of the Community, yet it is quite certain from various notices in
the Legend, in the St. Catherine’s letters, and in depositions of more than one
witness of the Process, that Catherine occupied herself seriously in its
establishment, and that it was the scene of several interesting incidents of
her life.
Belcaro became a real fortress
once more in 1554 when, during the siege of Siena by Cosmo I, it was occupied by troops,
and still exhibits cannon-balls embedded in its walls. After that it became the
property of Crescenzio Turamini, a rich banker of Siena , who turned it into a magnificent villa
which he caused to be decorated in fresco by Baldassare Peruzzi. It no longer,
therefore, presents the same aspect as in St. Catherine’s time, yet the site is
unchanged, and much of the original castellated edifice is till left standing.
Situated about three miles north-west of the city, and approached by charming
country lanes, it occupies a little hill which, as you draw near, ha the
appearance of a green mound with a tower just peeping out of the centre. “The
hill,” says a modern traveler, “is entirely covered with ancient ilexes, which
are shorn at the top so as to give the appearance of a level carpet; but on
ascending through them by a winding path, and entering the gate, what looked a
small tower turns out to be a palace”.
Catharine chose for her new
foundation the title of “St. Mary of Angels”. Writing to Sano di Maco she says,
“I recommend to you the monastery of St. Mary of Angels. Do not be surprised if
I do not come there; goods signs do more when their mother is absent than when
she is present, wishing thus to show their lover for her”. She did come there,
however, and that pretty often. “I was present at he commencement of the
place”, says Raymund, “together with all her spiritual sons and daughters. The
Commissary appointed by the Pope on this occasion was Fra Giovanni (di Gano of
Orvieto), abbot of the monastery of St.
Anthimo of Order of the Williamites”. This abbot of St.
Anthimo was a very holy man, and one of the Saint’s great friends an disciples.
In him more than any other person she had confidence in all that regarded the
religious life, and to him accordingly she generally referred those who
consulted her on the subject of a religious vocation. “Go to the Abbot of At. Anthimo”
she says in one of her letters, “he is an earthly angle”. He is numbered by
Caffarini among those who sometimes acted as her confessor. Catherine, as it
would seem, had often conferred with him on the foundation of the convent of
strict observance. In one of her letters to him she writes as follows: “The
bearer of this will speak to you of Madonna Miranda, wife to Francis of
Motalcino. She has in her hands a young girl who wishes to give herself to God,
and she wants to put her into convent which I do not much like. I wish you
would see her about it; and when you can find a place suitable for a real and true monastery, then put two
good heads into it, for we have a plenty of subjects. I am sure it would be for
God’s glory”. In these words we se the germ of St. Mary of the Angels, and it
explains the selection of the abbot for the office of Papal Commissary. It was
probably the journey of Catherine an all her spiritual family to Belcaro on
this particular occasion which is described in the deposition of Mino da Giovanni di Mino Sozzini. “She set out very early
one morning” he says, “ in company with F. Raymund and several of her spiritual
sons and daughters, F. Williams Flete being of the number. When the party
reached the torrent of the Tressa, several of them applied themselves
attentively to see how Catherine would cross the stream, which at that time was
full of water. According to her usual custom she was walking with her eyes
closed and her hands joined; and in this way, even while they had their eyes
fixed on her and were carefully watching her movements, they saw her already
passed over the stream without their being able to see how. Stupefied with what
they had seen they continued their way, and as they approached Belcaro, Pietro
di Giovanni Ventura ,
with some other youths, ran before rest, wishing to be the first to cross the
ditch, and enter the castle. This ditch was dry and overgrown with bushes and
brambles, and as Pietro scrambled along he was wounded by a sharp thorn which
entered his eyes. Blinded and in great pain he cried out with tears, heedless
of all efforts made by his companions to console him. When Catharine and the
rest of party came up to the spot, Pietro, hearing her voice (for he could not
see her), cried out, ‘O Mamma (for so she was familiarly called by all her
disciples), on of my eyes is blinded!’ But she, smilingly sweetly, comforted
him; and touching the eye with her hand, it was at once healed, and his sight
perfectly restored. This incident filled them with joy, and they all entered
the castle together, praising GOD.
…
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