St. Bonaventure
San Buenaventura

The Man
(1221-1274)

St. Bonaventure was born in Bagnorea, Italy to Giovanni di Fidenza and Maria di Ritella.  In 1238 he became a Franciscan.  When the mendicant Orders were reestablished at Paris in 1257, he received his doctorate in theology along with Thomas Aquinas.  Earlier the same year, he was elected minister general of the Friars Minor and worked to reconcile the dissident factions in the Order.  He wrote the official Franciscan biography.  The “Biblia Pauperum”, the poor man's Bible, was attributed to him.  He was canonized in 1482.

The Statue

This statue shows a tonsured (the practice of clipping or shaving the crown of the head), beardless male in Franciscan habit from whose cord belt a knotted cord may have once been suspended.  The cord would have had three knots representing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.  No basal or other inscription is on the statue.  The statue has bare feet and both hands are missing.  A metal halo is secured to his head by a single shank.  The head has two sections and has glass eyes.  The habit is light brown with an overall floral pattern in gold with black outlines and punch work.

The identification of the saint depicted in this statue is not altogether clear.  Other possibilities for the saint include Pascual Bailon and Francisco Solano.


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