Welcome to Capdox

To see these images you need Flash Player

Welcome to Capdox

Pax et Bonum!

matteo About capdox

Primarily for English language Capuchin Friars, capdox may be useful for anyone interested in reform movements in Italy in the first half of the 16th Century - a special period in the history of the Church, of Italy and of Europe.

The site does not offer a course in Capuchin history. Most of the texts are English translations. Some documents appear in their original language, Italian ... with a little Latin occasionally.

The publication of these texts will always be a work in progress. The number of translations here is minimal. There is so much more to do.

All the files are in PDF format and are, so far, free for your use. Naturally they should not be republished elsewhere, either in part or in full, without permission and acknowledgment.

Send suggestions or comments to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or leave your comments on the capdox blog. To follow the capdox blog: suscribe at capdox blog and receive update ntofications about CAPDOX.

Francesco Ripanti da Iesi

The Circle of Divine Love

Colpetrazzo said about Francesco da Jesi (†1549), who was one of the pillars of the Capuchin reform, and who, together with Bernardino d’Asti and others, was one of the advocates of a reform movement within the Observants, that “in his day he was considered to be outstanding in the Franciscan Order and well qualified in the teachings of Scotus”. (MHOC III, 74) Following a period during which he was occupied in preaching, he committed himself totally to the life of a contemplative hermit following the approach of Bartolomeo Cordoni from Città di Castello. After he had transferred to the Capuchins with Giovanni da Fano in 1534, he took part in the General Chapter in Rome at S. Eufemia in 1536 and was chosen to be the sixth definitor receiving fifty one votes. He was elected Vicar Provincial of Tuscany in 1537, elected Vicar General again in the Chapter of 1538 and was Vicar Provincial of Umbria until 1542 when he became Commissary General following the apostasy of Ochino. He subsequently became Vicar General and governed the Order at the most dramatic time in its history. He retired to Montemalbe in 1545 and died there on 7^th September 1549 at the age of 80 after 58 years in the Order.

He brought a striking variety of the idealism of the spirituals to the reform that went beyond what was typical of the radical attitude of “literal” observance of the Franciscan Rule which prevailed among the leaders of the reform. This variety of idealism was manifested most of all in the special method of contemplation that he developed during long retreats at Monteluco in Spoleto, Cibottola al Buon Riposo near Città di Castello and other Umbrian hermitages.

This text which contains this method is published here for the first time. It is taken from a rare 1539 edition of the Dialogo by Cordoni which was edited by Girolamo of Molfetta, where this writing appears in the fifty third and last chapter under the title: Epilogue of the whole exercise of union reduced to a very brief summary and splendid technique. However its real title appears later in the Latin sentence: Iste est Circulus charitatis divinae, that is The Circle of Divine Love. In this work Francesco da Jesi collects and summarises all his theological, biblical, ascetical, mystical, religious and Franciscan expertise.

Evangelical Love

An Introduction to Capuchin Commentaries of the Rule of Saint Francis

Early Capuchin commentaries on the Rule of Saint Francis stressed that the Rule had been written under divine inspiration and because of this it ran parallel to the Gospel as the word of God. Likewise the Testament was an inspired commentary on the Rule. Although apart from this there was no real need for explanations of the Rule over time friars had asked the Apostolic See to comment on specific issues. The Capuchins conceded that the Supreme Pontiff had the right to comment just as he had the right to approve the Rule in the first place. What the early Capuchins questioned was the motives of those brothers who request the Apostolic See to made declarations. Some were of the opinion that the Apostolic See had presumed that what the brothers requested, especially in matters dealing with poverty, were doubts of conscience concerning practical matters which needed to be settled out of fatherly care for the peace of heart of the petitioners.

Evangelical Love

Giovanni da Fano: I

The Art of Union and A Small Catechism

The Art of Union

Translated by Br. Patrick Colbourne OFM Cap. from “Arte de la unione” edited by Br Costanzo Cargnoni in I Frati Cappuccini, Perugia, 1991 Vol. III/I, p.297-429;

Giovanni Pili da Fano, a tenacious adversary of the Capuchin Reform and then, after he entered that Reform in 1534, its zealous apostle made his "Capuchin" novitiate in the little friary of Scandriglia in the Province of Rome, withdrawn "in anchorite silence" in a "small cell" in the isolation of the forest which surrounded the friary, in accordance with n, 47 of the Albacina Ordinances. Here he meditated upon the maxims of the spiritual life composed by authors who belonged to the devotio moderna. He edited these in a pocket edition entitled: A Devout Work Called The Art of Union which teaches how to unite the soul to God, and is very useful not only for Religious but also for spiritual and devout laity, which was simple and easily accessible.

Art of Union

Giovanni da Fano: II

Short Discourse Concerning the Observance of the Vow of Poverty of the Friars Minor

Translated by Patrick Colbourne O.F.M.Cap. from I Frati Cappuccini, edited by Costanzo Cagnoni, volume I, pp. 723-744

In his Capuchin History Mattia da Salò said that John of Fano “also wrote a tract on the poverty of the Friars Minor, and so that it might be of use to and worthy of being known by the brothers it is placed here” (MHOC V, 222). However he was unable to keep his promise. Instead it was repeatedly published both in Latin and in the main European languages in booklets containing the Rule from the end of the sixteenth century and it has enjoyed an outstanding editorial success within the Order down to our own day.

Discourse on Poverty

Giovanni da Fano: III

The First Capuchin Commentary on the Rule

Giovanni da Fano's Second Dialogue on Salvation

“Il primo commento «cappuccino» della Regola di S. Francesco” in Costanzo Cargnoni, I Frati Cappuccini, Edizioni Frate Indovino, Perugia, 1988, vol.I, pp.585-719, translated by Br. Patrick Colbourne ofm cap, 2009. The paragraph numbering follows that used by Cargnoni.

Many of the brothers of the Observance who were zealous concerning the observance of the Rule attempted reform by setting up houses of recollection, which were authorised in Italy by Quiñones in 1526 and by Pope Clement V in 1532 by the Bull In suprema, thus they were strongly opposed to the Capuchin break-away movement that split the unity of the order.

In spite of the fact that they had been authorised these small houses of recollection did not have the support of the superiors and so many of those who wanted reform passed over to the Capuchins. This included important persons such as: Bernardino d’Asti, Francesco da Jesi, Eusebio d’Ancona, Bernardino Ochino, John of Fano etc.

Dialogue second edition

Melchiorre da Pobladura

The Capuchin Reform - A Franciscan Renaissance

Between 1937 and 1955 Raffaele Turrado Riesco, or Br. Melchiorre da Pobladura OFM Cap., (1 February 1904-19 February 1983) published for the first time critical editions of some manuscript 'chronicles' of the Capuchin Reform written in the Sixteenth and early Seventeenth Centuries:

MARIUS A MERCATO SARACENO, Relationes de origine Ordinis Minorum Capuccinorum, in Monumenta Historica Ordinis Minorum Capuccinorum vol.I, Istituto Storico OFM Cap, Assisi, 1937;

BERNARDINO DA COLPETRAZZO, Historia Ordinis Fratrum Minorum Capuccinorum 1525-1593; Bibliographiae Selectae; Ratio vivendi fratrum: 3 vols, in Monumenta Historica Ordinis Minorum Capuccinorum (tom. II-IV) Collegio S. Lorenzo da Brindisi dei Frati Minori Cappuccini, Assisi, 1939, 1940, 1941

MATTHIAS DA SALÒ, Historia Capuccina in Monumenta Historica Ordinis Minorum Capuccinorum vol.V-VI, Istituto Storico OFM Cap, Roma, 1946, 1950

PAULUS A FOLIGNO, Origo et Progressus Ordinis Fratrum Minorum in Monumenta Historica Ordinis Minorum Capuccinorum vol.VII, Istituto Storico OFM Cap, Roma, 1955

From these editions he selected and published a collection of extracts arranged thematically to represent Capuchin life during the first century of life of the fraternity,. He saw this as a contribution to a return to the sources: since "running water is purer at its source." (cf "La bella e santa Riforma dei Frati Minori Cappuccini". Ratio adhibendi recentes editiones historicae ad Ordinis progressum: a talk he gave at the Interprovincial Congress of the needs of the Modern Apostolate (21-27 November 1948) in Analecta OFMCap (1948) Acta Congressus Interprovincialis de Hodiernis Apostolatus Necessitatibus, p.35-38.

The compilation has the title: La Bella e Santa Riforma dei Frati Minori Cappuccini, Testi scelti e ordinati da Melchiorre da pobladura, con introduzione di Don Giuseppe da Luca, Edizioni Italiane, Roma, 1943, p.XVIII, 315. A more ample compilation was produced after the publication of the 'chronicle' of Paolo da Foligno - La Bella e Santa Riforma dei Frati Minori Cappuccini, Istituto Storico Cappuccino, Roma, 2a ed., 1963, p.XXV, 443.

An English translation of the second edition of La Bella e Santa Riforma was published in 2003, with the title The Capuchin Reform. A Franciscan Renaissance, translated by Paul Hanbridge, Media House, New Delhi, 2003.

You can download this it here (2.4 Mb).

For the necrology of Melchiorre da Pobladura, see Isidoro de Villapadierna, "Padre Melchiorre da Pobladura (1904-1983) Storico e Agiografo" in Collectanea Franciscana 54(1984)101-158; Br. Flavio Carraro (Minister General), "In memoriam clarissimi Patris Melchioris a Pobladura" in Analecta OFMCap, 99(1983)113-120.