HolyPersons andHolyPlaces 197
to him in a dream and telling him to wake up because the building was on
fire.^106 Saints cared about households as well as houses. Sor Maria Bella of
Modena, the widow of Fra Bonacursio, told how her husband had become
a member of Giovanni’s order without revealing that he was married. When
Giovanni found out, he ordered Bonacursio to go home and live with his
wife. He replied that he could not, because Modena had exiled him for debt.
Giovanni arranged for Maria Bella to move to Cesena so the couple could
reestablish their family. Eventually, both spouses became penitents dedicated
to the pious ex-minstrel.^107 True charity concerned home and family.
Enclosure in an anchorhold did not prevent service to neighbor. Oringa
Cristiana built up her reputation for visions by conferences with those who
daily spoke to her at her enclosure’s consultation window.^108 Umilta` of
Faenza had her cell at Sant’Apollinare fitted with a window into the church
for Communion and one to the outside for receiving alms and dispensing
advice.^109 Such women’s legendae give glimpses of those who visited them
and of their requests. Donna Grigia asked Margherita of Citta`di Castello to
be godmother for her granddaughter, and she agreed.^110 Dionisio of Mo-
dena, master general of the Augustinians, visited Sibyllina Biscossi at the
window of her anchorhold to consult on his leadership of the order. Gio-
vanni di Taddeo de’ Pepoli consulted the elderly Sibyllina on politics while
traveling to Avignon in 1353 as agent of the Visconti during negotiations
with Pope Urban V.^111 Sibyllina’s favorite place to meditate and pray was at
her little window to the world. That it was open showed she was on call to
give advice or receive little gifts of cherries from her friends.^112 The message
from the anchorhold could be frightening as well as convivial. In May of
1288 , Margherita of Cortona prophesied that the Antichrist was near at hand
and that many would fall away. She twice warned her clerical admirers to
repent, reform, and prepare to endure tribulations.^113 Umiliana dei Cerchi
foresaw severe tribulations at the hands of the podesta of Florence when she
denounced the city’s anti-papal policies. This persecution, she knew, would
make her one with Christ.^114
Male saints generally practiced temporal works of mercy and left spiritual
106 .Processus... B. Joannis Boni, 3. 7. 228 , pp. 828 – 29.
107. Ibid., 1. 8. 69 ,p. 790.
108 .Legenda Beatae Christianae,pp. 189 – 97. Hermit monks also gave advice and counsel, e.g., Saint
Odo the Carthusian (d. 1189 ): seeApographum Processus Informationis circa Vitam, Mortem, Translationem et
Miracula B. Odonis,in ‘‘Documenta de B. Odone Novariensi Ordinis Carthusiani,’’Analecta Bollandiana 1
( 1882 ): testes 33 – 34 ,p. 346.
109. Biagio of Faenza,Vita [S. Humilitatis Abbatissae], 1. 10 ,p. 208.
110 .Vita Beatae Margaritae Virginis de Civitate Castelli,ed. A. Poncelet, 12 ,Analecta Bollandiana 19 ( 1900 ):
32 – 33.
111. Tomasso of Bossolasco,Vita [B. Sibyllinae], 3. 19 – 20 ,p. 70.
112. Ibid., 2. 12 ,p. 69.
113. Giunta Bevegnati,Legenda... Margaritae de Cortona, 9. 23 , pp. 384 – 85 ; 9. 26 , pp. 387 – 88.
114. Vito of Cortona,Vita [B. Humilianae], 3. 36 ,p. 395 ; on Umiliana’s Guelf political activities, see
Benvenuti Papi, ‘‘Una santa vedova,’’ 76 – 88 , esp. 84.