Raimondo delle Vigne

Raimondo delle Vigne (Capua, about 1330 - Nuremberg, 5 October 1399)

Of the noble family delle Vigne (de Vineis), while it was student of law to Bologna, in 1350 entered in the Dominican Order in that town. It was teacher and prior in varied Italian cloisters. On suggestion of The Madonna, Catherine of Siena choised him like spiritual director, its doing him burning passion for the Church and for the revival of the religious life. How provincial of Lombardy and then in 1380 master general of the Order itself provided to restore the moderate observance until a second founder of the order was considered. He worked also for the return of the Pope in Rome and for the solution of the schism of west. It studied theology and then jurisprudence to Bologna. On thirty year it is spiritual director or teaching in varied community: from Montepulciano in Rome, and more late to Siena, where it is done also nurses and "confortatore" in the pestilence of 1374. In the same year, spiritual director and confessor of Catherine of Siena, already note to pontiffs, to sovereigns of all Europe and to the any people, for its manner all novelty of to confront problems like the crusade in holy Land, the return of the popes in Rome and the reform of the Church. And for its to pass from sights and supernatural talks to the earthly crudeness of the politics. It excites and it worries, Catherine. Someone it arrives to suspect the heresy in this girl “nun in house” – a tertiary dominicana, says today – that does all from alone, free battitrice, and with the letters and the talks shakes the thrones and the chairs, discusses with governing, excites the of sienna youth. Its full orthodoxy is recognized from the general Chapter of the order, reunited to Florence in the May 1374, that then puts them to the just flank between Raimondo. For four years he accompanies it also in its journeys, and to Avignon does from interpreter between her and Gregory XI. This is the Pontiff that returns finally in Rome in 1377. But it dies in 1378 and, after the election of the Urban successor yourselves, bursts the large schism that will last 39 years, with a Pope in Rome and one to Avignon, dividing the Europe, the bishops, the religious Orders. Raimondo, like Catherine, is for the Roman Pope, and defends of it the cause in the missions in varied parts of Europe. Dying in 1380, Caterina the election predicted him to Master General of Dominican order, thing that happens in the same year, residing then alternately in Italy and in Germany. In the caterinian spirit of reform, imprints new spiritual vitality to the order, favoring the development of the motion of “observance”, I am drawn on the Franciscan example. "In this it operates it is deserved the founder second of title of the order of the Preachers" (G. Of urso). Between the its they operates written, the more note is the life of Caterina. Buried first to Nuremberg, where is dead, its body was then carried to Naples, in the church of San Domenico Maggiore. In 1899 Leo XIII confirmed Raimondo a blessed.