A very brief history of the Order of Friars Minor

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1209

Saint Francis founds the Order of Friars Minor

The First Rule is approved by Pope Innocent III

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1212

Saint Francis and Saint Clare found the Poor Ladies of San Damiano

(Now known as The Poor Clare Nuns)

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1221

Saint Francis writes a Rule for the Order of Penitents

(Now known as the Secular Franciscans or Third Order)

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Saint Francis writes the Regula Non Bullata for the Friars Minor

This Rule was never approved.

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1223

Saint Francis writes the Regula Bullata or

The Rule of Life of the Friars Minor

This Rule guides the Franciscan Life to this day.

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1224

Saint Francis writes his Testament

so that the Friars may; 

"in a more Catholic manner, observe the Holy Gospel"

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1226

Saint Francis dies

Immediately after the death of Saint Francis, and we can even argue before his death,

the Friars were divided over the observance of the Rule. There were some who wanted to mitigate the poverty that Saint Francis so strongly defended, others wanted to live the Rule as faithfully as the earliest days.

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July 16th, 1228

Saint Francis is Canonized

Despite the universal devotion to Saint Francis and the growing influence of the Friars in the Church, controversy inside the Order continued to mount. Deliberation over whether or not the Friars had to observe the Testament of Saint Francis and the ownership of property and use of money, strictly banded by the Rule, were continuing to divide the Order.

Saint Francis wrote in the Rule;"Those who can not observe the Rule spiritually..." Observing the Rule spiritually meant to observe it "literally", and so grew up a group of Friars who felt that it was becoming difficult to observe the Rule "Spiritually", "Literally". These Friars who wanted to observe the Rule as Saint Francis wanted were nicknamed "I Spirituali" or "The Spirituals". The majority of Friars, on the other hand, were nicknamed "The Community".

The controversy got so bad that Br. Leo, Saint Francis' companion and confessor, was placed in prison for three months because he used a sledge hammer to smash the money collection boxes that Br. Elias, the Minister General, placed in the Basilica of Saint Francis.

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1230

Pope Gregory IX,

the former Cardinal Ugolino, Protector of the Order and friend of Saint Francis,

wrote the first Papal Bull explaining the Rule:

"Quo Elongoti"

Although it was a very fair approach to understand the Rule and what Saint Francis intended, it stated that the Testament of Saint Francis did not have to be observed, but it was laudable to observe it.

This Papal Bull was a blow to the Spirituals and stirred a conflict in the Order that would last the next 90 years.

The Community applauded the document and then, taking it further, sought more mitigations and dispensations  from the Rule.  The further the Community got from the Rule, the stronger was the opposition from the Spirituals. The Spiritual movement centered in the Marches of Ancona ( a province in Italy) that will remain the seed bed of Franciscan Reform movements.

At the time of the controversy there was a heresy floating around called "Joachamism". It spoke of a "spiritaul church" that was to be ushered in by the angel of the sixth seal. There would be the everlasting gospel and no longer need for the Sacraments. It would be the "Age of the Spirit".  Many of the Friars who were in the Spiritual camp disregarded the heretical part of the "prophecies" of Joachim of Fiore, however, they liked to play with the imagery. The Angel of the sixth seal they saw as the Seraph from whom Saint Francis received the stigmata, the Rule as the everlasting gospel and the life of the Friars as the new form of living, the new age of the Spirit. Even though they rejected the thought of there being no need for a Church, hierarchy or sacraments, they were playing with fire. Now the word "Spiritual" took on a new meaning. It now meant those who ascribed to Joachamism.

Despite the good intentions of the Spirituals, their love for Saint Francis and the Franciscan life, their desire to restore the Order to it's original beauty was destroyed by their openness to play with such a heresy and leave room for their enemies to attack. By the mid fourteenth century the Spiritual movement had but all died out, five of  them being burnt at the stake as heretics.

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1368

One hundred and forty two years after the death of Saint Francis, Blessed Paul of Trinci, a lay-brother, received permission to go to a "hermitage Friary" (this signified a remote Friary, about one mile from town, where the brothers lived the radicallity of the Rule as intended by Saint Francis. Usually twelve Friars lived in a hermitage Friary observing the regular common life of the Friars. They preached and did other ministries). With others Blessed Paul lived the early Franciscan life guided by the Testament of Saint Francis. They lived a strong prayer life, resorted to begging and manual labor. They observed the Divine Office with simple chant and great pauses of silence throughout the day. They took as their model the life at the Portziuncola as described by the Mirror of Perfection during the life of Saint Francis. Blessed Paul had the authority to receive novices, form his own men and open other houses. His reform grew and spread rapidly. Due to the rough terrain at Burgliano Hermitage Friary, the Friars needed to where clogs, So, they were nicknamed "I Zoccalanti" or "The Shoe-ed".

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1400's

Within fifty years the Zoccalanti grew and started to be known as "The Observants" because they were seeking to "Observe" the Rule diligently. The Community, on the other hand, became known as "The Conventuals" because they were seeking to live a more "Conventual" life style, accepting and obtaining privileges and dispensations and mitigations from the Rule. This era is marked as the battle between the Conventuals and the Observants.

Joining the Observant reform at this time were great men of incredible holiness, Saint Bernadine of Sienna, Saint John of Capistrano and Saint James of the Marches. Their dynamism, holiness and extraordinary gifts brought the Observance to an all time high. By the end of the fifteenth century, there were more members of the Observant branch then that of the Conventual.

Many attempts were made to unify the Order, unify observance and bring about one happy fraternity. But every try led to further division and more discontent. It was clear that the Order was heading for an official split into two great branches. By fifteen hundred there was well over sixty thousand Friars, the majority being members of the Observants.

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1517

The Holy Father issued a Papal Bull called "Ite Vos". It was meant to be a bull of unity, instead, it divided the Order in two. Two separate Minster Generals, Two separate governments and two separate sets of Constitutions guiding the implementation of the Rule of Saint Francis. There were now essentially two Franciscan Orders; The Order of Friars Minor Conventual and the Order of Friars Minor Observance.

Although the Observant Reform movement was fat more faithful to the living of the Rule of Saint Francis, by the end of the fifteenth century it had lost it's original vigor. It too was now making mitigations for the use of money, bigger Friaries and ownership of property. They may not have fallen as far away from the ideal as the Conventual Friars, but they were far enough away to spur on yet another Franciscan Reform, one that would endure with strength and fidelity for the next three hundred years.

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1528

Fr. Matteo da Bascio, Fr. Ludivico da Fossombrone and his blood brother Br. Raffaele, left the Observant Friars and began a radical reform movement. Structuring the principles of the life according to priority; prayer, penance, poverty, minority, fraternity and then apostolate, these men were able to, positively, institutionalize the Franciscan Charism, making it capable for all to live. It presented a radical life well founded upon the Rule and Testament and life of Saint Francis. The reform took off and drew many men to its ranks. Observant Friars of great renown came to join the community. Such men as Bernadine da Asti, Francesco da Jesi and Eusibius of Ancona. In 1536 the had their official Constitutions approved that, changing but little, would guide them for the next three hundred years. There were no saints among this first generation, but they would produce a plethora of saints, blesseds, venerables and servants of God  for the Church.

In the fourteenth century the Franciscan habit became a two piece habit. The Friars added the detachable cowl with its sides extending over the shoulders. Later, the Observant reform would tailor the design, keeping it a two piece habit but cutting it at the end of the shoulders and extending to a point in the back. This new reform movement wanted to return to the original design of the habit. They sowed the long pointed hood unto the tunic, once again creating the one piece habit. This original design won them the nickname "I Cappuccini" of "The Hoods" or as we continue to know them: "The Capuchins". 

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1500's Onward

Despite the fact that the Capuchin reform was the most authentic and longest lasting reform movement in Franciscan history, many others tried to spark reform movements. In the 1800's Pope Leo united these reform movements into the Observants and simply gave them the name Order of Friars Minor.

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Today there are three distinct Orders of Friars Minor. The Order of Friars Minor, The Order of Friars Minor Conventual and the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. To this day, and I presume until the end of time, there are many Franciscan reform movements. The great Franciscan scholar Duncan Nimmo has created three categories for reform movements; Strict, moderate and laxed. A group is categorized by how faithfully they observe the precepts, admonitions and exhortations of the Rule of Saint Francis.

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This brief history of Franciscan reform should provide you with a small foundation to build upon. You are encouraged to watch the Franciscan History classes taught by Fr. David Mary on this website. Franciscan History is quite the adventure, saga and, some would even argue, soap opera. 

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