In This Chapel....

 

 

This is a small chapel inside the first church in Rome. Pope Innocent III's verbal sanction to Franciscan Rule was given here. That story follows...
 

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As a gift from Emperor Constantine to Pope Melchiades in 311, the ancient and imposing palace had been the official residence of the Pope for nine hundred years by the time Francis arrived in 1209 at the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano.  It was located next to the equally splendid church, which Dante described as “beyond human achievement,” but Francis was not intimidated in the least.  He’d come to Rome to offer himself to the Pope as a humble messenger of the Church's teachings.

Omer Englebert’s biography, St. Francis of Assisi, reports Francis and his ragged companions were walking through the Lateran Palace one day when they chanced upon the Pope, then Innocent III.  Seizing the opportunity, Francis pressed the Pope to sanction their preaching but was rebuffed by the Pontiff, who mistook the wild-haired, smelly bunch for swineherds.

“Go find your pigs,” Innocent reportedly said to Francis.  “You can preach all the sermons you want to them.”  Ever obedient, Francis went out to the nearest pigsty, preached to the occupants, then presented himself again to the Pope.  Apparently, Innocent was so embarrassed he had treated Francis so badly that he told him he would grant him an audience – after he had cleaned himself up.

Whether that version of the story is true, or not, Francis was wedded to his understanding of The Rule that Jesus had written for his disciples. He adopted that Rule for his first few followers the year before in Assisi: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven”; “Take nothing for your journey”; and “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.”  He based the written Rule he’d brought to Rome on those biblical directives of extreme poverty and humility.   Englebert suggests, “Their greatest joy shall be to mingle with victims of leprosy, beggars and other wretches,” was included in The Rule as well. 

Francis and his early followers, barefoot and in rags, prostrated themselves in front of the Pope, satined, bejeweled and gilded from head to miter, and Innocent questioned Francis. He was concerned about the harshness of Francis’ rules, but he blessed Francis and gave him permission to preach penance.  On bended knee, an ecstatic Francis pledged obedience and reverence to the Pope.

With that, the new Order of Friars Minor, as Francis named them, began. And the launch of the Order took place right here, in this small San Giovanni in Laterano chapel. The Franciscans were launched in this place, with no boundaries set for the range of their preaching. Every soul in the world was theirs for the saving.

In his joy, Francis preached to everyone and everything in sight. He believed all natural things to be the creations of God, and along the way he exhorted the flowers and vineyards and fields of grain to praise and serve the Lord. And, in probably the best-known-sermon of his life, he stopped to preach to the birds.

Legend has it that Francis exhorted his "brother birds" to love and praise the Lord. The birds didn't fly away and Francis told the attentive flock, "God made you noble among His creatures and gave you a home in the purity of the air." Legend has it the birds responded by stretching their necks and spreading their wings and welcoming his touches on their heads until he blessed them and gave them permission to fly away.

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It doesn't receive a lot of attention, and it's tucked away along the side of the church, but something amazing started in this little chapel. 

I thought you'd like to see it.

Mark 6:7-9  -  Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic."

 

Comments

[Sheila Pinda]

How did you get these beautiful photos. My husband and I went to Rome, Florence, Pisa and Venice for our honeymoon and they did not allow camera in most places. Sure glad you got some photos.