338 BuoniCattolici
dered godparents incapable of fulfilling their office. Synodal legislation on
ignorant godparents multiplied after 1300. Perhaps this merely acknowl-
edged the universal tendency of parents to choose godparents because of
respect or affection rather than theological literacy.^189 Saint Margherita of
Cortona refused to stand as a godmother, because she found the obligation
to provide education incompatible with her status as a penitent.^190 Pietro
Pettinaio of Siena, living in the world, was very diligent in these duties. When
his wife died, she asked him to take care of a woman with whom she was
‘‘co-mother.’’ In medieval jargon, a godmother was ‘‘co-mother’’ with the
natural mother. Pietro not only took over the spiritual formation of his wife’s
godson but provided materially for his mother. Eventually, he arranged for
the boy’s apprenticeship to a tailor.^191
Pietro was an exceptionally conscientious foster godparent. Spiritual for-
mation of children normally fell to their parents.^192 When Saint Venturino
of Bergamo’s biographer attempts to account for his precocious piety, he
traces it to the boy’s imitation of his parents in their devotions, especially in
their frequent attendance at Mass and preaching.^193 Mothers certainly
played a greater role in religious education than fathers. Although our
knowledge of home life in communal Italy is very dim, it seems that at
least some mothers took this responsibility seriously. The preacher Jacques
of Vitry, remarking on parents’ responsibility to teach their children the
Pater Noster, Ave Maria, and Credo, spoke glowingly of the warmth and
diligence with which mothers taught their children the ‘‘Mother’s Prayer,’’
the Ave.^194 He compared such mothers to Queen Blanche of Castile, who
personally taught her son, Saint Louis of France, his Pater and Ave. Hagiog-
raphy and art provided the child-care manuals of the High Middle Ages.
Mothers could see themselves in the ubiquitous icons of Saint Anne teaching
the Blessed Virgin to read her Psalter.^195 Mothers knew their responsibility,
even if they discharged it imperfectly. And they were probably better at it
than stereotypes suggest. In the inquisition registers of Jacques Fornier,
bishop of Palmiers and later pope, illiterate peasants, as often as not, knew
the three essential prayers, the Pater, Ave, and Credo. Their mothers had
usually been the teachers.^196
- On this, see Zafarana, ‘‘Cura pastorale,’’ 508.
- Giunta Bevegnati,Legenda... Margaritae de Cortona, 2. 10 ,p. 207.
- Pietro of Monterone,Vita del beato Pietro Pettinajo, 1 ,p. 10.
- So concludes Klapisch-Zuber, ‘‘Parrains et filleuls,’’ regarding Italy, as well as France and En-
gland; on France, see also Lett,Enfant, 231 – 32.
193 .Legenda Beati Fratris Venturini Ordinis Praedicatorum, 40. - Danie
le Alexandre-Bidon, ‘‘Des femmes de bonne foi: La religion des meres au Moyen Aˆge,’’
La religion de ma me`re: Les femmes et la transmission de la foi,ed. Jean Delumeau (Paris: Cerf, 1992 ), 94. Now
that the idea that premodern parents were indifferent to the physical life of their children has been
exploded (e.g., Lett, ‘‘Le sentiment de l’enfance,’’Enfant, 144 – 49 ), their spiritual indifference should
likewise be rejected. - See Lett, ‘‘Le sentiment de l’enfance,’’Enfant, 155 – 56 ; Alexandre-Bidon, ‘‘Des femmes,’’ 92.
- Nicole Be ́riou, ‘‘Femmes et pre ́dicateurs: La transmission de la foi auxxiieetxiiiesie
cles,’’ Religion de ma mere,ed. Delumeau, 60.