Francesco da Rimini (Maître de la Bienheureuse Claire). Vision de la Bienheureuse Chiara da Rimini,
vers 1333-1340. Tempera sur bois de peuplier, 50 X 45, Ajaccio, Palais Fesch
Bienheureuse Claire Argolanti
Pénitente, recluse italienne (✝ 1346)
A Rimini en Italie, elle était connue par ses écarts. Elle fut mariée deux fois et son biographe dit d'elle : "Longtemps son cœur fut comme le chemin de l'Évangile où la bonne semence qu'y jetait l'Esprit-Saint était foulée aux pieds par le monde et enlevée par le démon." Mais son enracinement chrétien subsistait, et, chaque jour, elle récitait un "Notre Père" et un "Je vous salue Marie", à la gloire de Dieu. Ce qui la conduisit à la conversion. Devenue tertiaire franciscaine, elle remplaça ses bijoux par des cercles de fer au cou, aux bras et aux genoux, son lit luxueux par des planches rugueuses, et la volupté des repas de jadis par du pain et de l'eau. Sa prière était incessante. Ses rigoureuses et extravagantes pénitences étonnèrent ses contemporains. Et c'est ainsi que se détachant progressivement de la terre et s'attacha au Christ pour toute l'éternité.
À Rimini en Romagne, l’an 1257, la bienheureuse Claire, veuve, qui expia une vie de plaisirs par la pénitence, les châtiments corporels et les jeûnes. Rassemblant des compagnes dans un monastère, elle servit le Seigneur dans un esprit d’humilité.
Martyrologe romain
Blessed Clare of Agolanti, OFM Tert., Widow (AC)
(also known as Clare of Rimini)
Born in Rimini, Italy, 1282; died 1346; cultus approved 1784. Clare, though born and brought up in circumstances of great wealth and comfort, learned early the meaning of misfortune. She lost her husband while still young, was herself exiled during a time of civil war, and saw her father and a brother die on the scaffold.
It was after her second marriage that, with the approval of her husband, she turned to a life of self-discipline. Laying aside her jewels, she wore in their stead rings of iron on her wrists, fingers, and neck. She slept always on a hard bed and imposed upon herself long periods of fasting and prayer. Some of her physical austerities were so extravagant that they were questioned by even her contemporaries.
But she is chiefly remembered as the saint of the watch-tower on the town walls. This watch-tower was an old and disused lookout to which she retired during Lent and where, exposed to the wind and rain, she prayed for herself and her fellow citizens. But she did more than pray. She lived a life of perfect charity with all men. As a result of her close communion with God and of her constant watching over the city, her heart overflowed with love and goodwill, which showed itself in many practical ways, and from her watchtower she came down and ran to where the need for help was greatest.
At the call of an exiled brother who had fallen ill she flew at once to his bedside, nursed him with devoted care, and brought him home. On another occasion, learning that the sisters of a convent were without fuel, she went into the country, gathered wood, and carried it through the streets to their door. On the way she met a relative, a noble of the city, who, horrified to see her thus demean herself, sent a servant to carry the wood, but she refused to give up her burden, saying that just as our Lord was not ashamed to carry His Cross through the streets, so she was proud to carry firewood for the needs of His people.
At another time, hearing that a poor man was sentenced to pay a heavy fine or have his hand cut off, she sold herself as a slave to pay his fine; when the magistrates heard the story they were so touched with pity that they refused the money and pardoned the man. Once when she gave way to angry speech she punished herself by nipping her tongue with a pair of pincers.
In addition to these and many other acts of charity and discipline, she built a convent near the old sentry-box on the city walls, but she never joined the convent herself. For ever after, those who followed her kept alive her spirit and, like her, watched over the city. Towards the end of her life, she went blind. Those eyes that had looked out so kindly upon her brothers and which had shone with the love of Christ could no longer see. But she was still the saint of the watchtower of Rimini, and when she died she was buried in her own chapel under the city walls (Attwater2, Benedictines, Gill).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0210.shtml
Blessed Clare of Rimini
(Chiara Agolanti), of the order of Poor Clares, born at Riminiin 1282; died there 10 February, 1346. Deprived at an early age of the support and guidance of her parents and of her pious husband, Claresoon fell a prey to the dangers to which her youth and beauty exposed her, and began to lead a life of sinful dissipation.
Donovan, Stephen."Blessed Clare of Rimini."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 4.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1908.10 Feb. 2016<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04007a.htm>.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04007a.htm
Blessed Clare Agolanti of Rimini
SOURCE : http://catholicsaints.info/blessed-clare-agolanti-of-rimini/
Prayer of the church
SOURCE : http://www.efo.org.au/Blessed-Clare-of-Rimini.htm
Voir aussi : http://clio-cr.clionautes.org/claire-de-rimini-entre-saintete-et-heresie.html#.VrvEIE3Mty0
http://lalumierededieu.eklablog.com/bienheureuse-claire-de-rimini-claire-agolanti-p108658
Blessed Clare of Rimini
(Chiara Agolanti), of the order of Poor Clares, born at Riminiin 1282; died there 10 February, 1346. Deprived at an early age of the support and guidance of her parents and of her pious husband, Claresoon fell a prey to the dangers to which her youth and beauty exposed her, and began to lead a life of sinful dissipation.
As she was one day assisting at mass in the churchof the Friars Minor, she seemed to hear a mysterious voice that bade her say a Paterand an Ave at least once with fervour and attention. Clareobeyed the command, not knowingwhence it came, and then began to reflect upon her life. Puttingon the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis, she resolved to expiate her sins by a life of penance, and she soon became a model of every virtue, but more especially of charitytowards the destitute and afflicted. When the Poor Clares were compelled to leave Regnoon account of the prevailing wars, it was mainly through the charitable exertions of Clarethat they were able to obtain a convent and means of sustenance at Rimini. Later, Clareherself entered the order of Poor Clares, along with several other piouswomen, and became superioressof the convent of Our Lady of the Angels at Rimini. She worked numerous miracles and towards the close of her life was favoured in an extraordinary manner with the gift of contemplation. Her body now reposes in the cathedral of Rimini. In 1782 the cult of BlessedClare was approved by Pius VI, who permitted her feast to be celebrated in the city and Diocese of Rimini on the tenth of February.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04007a.htm
Blessed Clare Agolanti of Rimini
Also known as
- Chiara Agolanti
- Clare of Rimini
- Clara of Rimini
- Klara of Rimini
Profile
Born to the nobility. Married twice, she spent most of her time in dissolute, sinful pleasures. When her father and brother were executed in civil disturbances, Clare changed her life completely. She became a Franciscantertiary and founded a convent, though she never became a nun. In an attempt to make up for her earlier life, she practiced penances that were considered extreme even by 14th century standards.
Born
- 10 February1344 at Rimini, Italy of natural causes
- interred at the convent she founded
SOURCE : http://catholicsaints.info/blessed-clare-agolanti-of-rimini/
Blessed Clare of Rimini, also known as Chiara Agolanti was born at Rimini in Italy in the year 1282, Clare lost her mother when she was only seven years old, and her father, busy with making a living for them could not devote enough time and attention to her upbringing, Clare was a lively girl and grew up into a frivolous young woman. Habig tells us that this was not a ‘Christian manner”.
As a young woman, Clare was almost completely worldly, living a nominally Christian life, her beauty and her lively temperament made her easily prey to the dissipation of the world. Clare married a man of the world.
Then One day during Mass in a church of the Franciscan Friars, she seemed to hear a mysterious voice bidding her to say an Our Father and a Hail Mary at least once with fervour and attention. Clare obeyed the command, not knowing from where it came, and then began to reflect upon her life, in the course of the prayers her soul saw clearly the very sad state in which she was living. Clare became alarmed as she considered her life up until then; she was shaken at the thought of the account God could require of her at any moment. Penitently she turned to the God of all mercies with the firm resolve earnestly to change her life.
Asking her husband’s permission to do so, Clare decided to enter the Third Order Regular of St. Francis, resolving to atone for her sins by a life of penance. She soon became a model of virtue, skilled in the art of reconciliation but remembered more especially for her charity towards the poor and the sick. When the Poor Clares were compelled to leave Regno on account of the prevailing wars, it was mainly through Clare’s efforts that they were able to obtain a convent and means of sustenance at Rimini.
Later, Clare herself, along with several other pious women entered the order of Poor Clares, and became Mother Superior of the convent of Our Lady of the Angels at Rimini. She worked numerous miracles and towards the close of her life was favored in an extraordinary manner with the gift of contemplation.
Habig says ” Almighty God blessed her efforts with great success; in fact, He granted her the heavenly gifts of prophecy and miracles. It was once observed that while walking from town to the church that her feet never actually made contact with the ground, and that she was in fact levitating as she travelled with her companions.”
Clare died on 10thFebruary 1346 and was beatified by Pope Pius VI in 1782 who approved the cult of blessed Clare, permitting her feast to be celebrated in the city and Diocese of Rimini on February 10th. Her body now reposes in the cathedral of Rimini. Though a saint of the Catholic Church her feast is not observed by any of the Franciscan orders
Prayer of the church
(Fourth Sunday After Easter)
O God, Who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will,
grant us, Thy people, to love what Thou commandest and to
desire what Thou doest promise, that amid the changing things of
this world our hearts may be set where true joy is found.
Through Christ Our Lord Who liveth and reigneth with
Thee and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.
Amen
Quotations from
1. Habig, Marion A., O.F.M., 1959, ed., The Franciscan book of Saints, Franciscan Herald press, Chicago, Illinois
2.Other information adapted from information in the public domain at Wikipedia, incorporating text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Blessed Clare of Rimini". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.
SOURCE : http://www.efo.org.au/Blessed-Clare-of-Rimini.htm
Voir aussi : http://clio-cr.clionautes.org/claire-de-rimini-entre-saintete-et-heresie.html#.VrvEIE3Mty0
http://lalumierededieu.eklablog.com/bienheureuse-claire-de-rimini-claire-agolanti-p108658