306 BuoniCattolici
collapse later, but all who had been absolved escaped—only the one man
who had refused to confess was killed.^218
For the people, the absolution of public penitents was the major rite of
Holy Thursday, the most important liturgical ceremony of the day.^219 Dur-
ing the afternoon and evening, the great western doors of the duomo were
thrown open for devotional visits, enriched with indulgences. At Siena, those
of the city and district who passed through the great doors received a one-
year indulgence for all confessed mortal sins and an indulgence of three
months for their venial sins.^220 The rites of Holy Thursday appealed to lay
penitent saints. Verdiana of Florence decided to become a penitent after
Holy Thursday rites at which the entire population of Castelfiorentino was
present.^221 The awesome ritual by which the bishop absolved penitents made
its way into visions and miracle stories. A Roman visiting Pavia sinned by
scoffing at the cult of Saint Lanfranco. He suddenly fell sick. The woman
caring for him despaired of his life and begged the saint to forgive him. Saint
Lanfranco promptly appeared to the sick man in a dream. The saintly bishop
approached the prostrate sinner and tapped him with the end of his pastoral
staff, the gesture of forgiveness in public reconciliation. The man arose, freed
of his sin and of his illness.^222
Preparations for reconciliation began in early morning.^223 The priests of
the cappelle brought the parishioners doing penance to the cathedral can-
ons, who confirmed that their penances were complete and authentic.^224 The
bells of the duomo rang at noon to summon the people; the clergy chanted
the combined Offices of Sext and None.^225 The ceremonies of reconciliation
began after this Office, before the ‘‘evening’’ Mass with its Gospel describing
Christ’s washing his apostles’ feet. The church was decorated with its most
festive decorations, and candles burned everywhere. The penitents assem-
bled with the whole people outside the great western doors. The bishop,
dressed in pontificals and cope, took his seat on a chair before the doors,
- Giovanni of Orvieto,Vita [S. Petri Parentii], 5. 38 ,p. 97.
- See, e.g., Verona, Biblioteca Capitolare,ms lxxxiv, fols. 91 v– 92 r, which speaks as if the reconcili-
ation of penitents were the only ceremony of Holy Thursday.
220 .Ordo Senensis, 1. 145 ,p. 127.
221 .Vita di Santa Verdiana, La gloriosa vergine di Castelfiorentino: Vita, chiesa, spedale di Santa Verdiana,ed.
Olinto Pogni (Castelfiorentino: Carpitelli, 1932 – 34 ), 8 – 9 ; on which, see Anna Benvenuti Papi, ‘‘La serva-
patrona,’’In Castro Poenitentiae, 268. - Bernardo Balbi,Vita [S. Lanfranci], 3. 30 ,p. 538.
- This reconstruction is based on the practice at Pisa, in Bologna, Biblioteca Universitaria,ms
1785 , Rolando the Deacon,Liber de Ordine Officiorum;Verona, in Verona, Biblioteca Capitolare,ms xciv,
Stefano of Verona,Carpsum sive Ordo Veronensis Ecclesie,fols. 88 r– 94 v; and Padua, in Padua, Biblioteca
Antoniana,ms 109(xicent.), fols. 148 v– 154 v. These rites are variants of Pont. Rom. (xii), 30 a. 1 – 30 , pp.
214 – 19 (Marte`ne,De Antiquis, 1 : 818 – 20 , Ordo 17 ), the pontifical of Christian I, bishop of Mayence, 1167 – - A briefer version is found in Pont. Rom. (xiii), App. 3. 4 ,p. 579. This rite may be compared with that
of the latter Middle Ages: Pont. Rom. (Durandus), 3. 2. 7 – 44 , pp. 559 – 69 (Marte`ne,De Antiquis, 1 : 821 – 23 ,
Ordo 19 ).
224 .Ordo Officiorum della cattedrale [volterrana], 104 (Volterrams 273, fols. 38 v– 39 r; San Gimignanoms 3,
fol. 41 v); Pont. Rom. (Durandus), 3. 2. 9 – 10 ,p. 560.
225 .Ordo Senensis, 1. 143 ,p. 125.