De sancto Bonaventara episcopo et
The Life and Learning of Bonaventure
Bonaventure's early formation, leadership as Minister General, and diplomatic service to the Church are detailed.
Bonaventure, Bishop of Albano and Cardinal, born in Bagnoregio, took the habit of the blessed Francis while still a young boy, following a vow his mother made because of his illness; under Alexander of Hales, he progressed so thoroughly in theology and morals that Alexander would often say of him, "This is a true Israelite, in whom Adam seems not to have sinned." At thirty-five, because of his perfection, he was made Minister General among so many venerable fathers of the religious life, and at the General Chapter in Narbonne, he reformed the Rule of the blessed Francis and subtly refuted the apologetic booklet of Master Gerard against the Friars Minor. During the translation of the blessed Anthony at Padua, thirty-two years after his death, Bonaventure held the saint's tongue—still fresh and red—in his hands. Amidst tears, he said, "O tongue, you who have always blessed God and taught others to bless Him, is it not now clearly seen what great merit you had before God?" And so he kissed it and laid it down; yet when the Roman See was laboring under difficulties under Gregory XI, he was proclaimed Cardinal and Bishop of Albano, though he refused, and was immediately sent to the Council of Lyon with the Bishop of Rouen and the Bishop of Tripoli to discuss urgent matters, in which he so prudently settled the heresies of the Greeks that all of them, in the presence of their Emperor Palaeologus, freely professed that they wished to obey the Roman See from then on.
The Literary Legacy of the Seraphic Doctor
A catalog of Bonaventure's extensive theological and devotional writings is presented.
He published books titled: On the Seven Visions, Sentences of Sentences, On the Gospels (especially Luke), the Office of the Cross, the Office of the Blessed Francis and his life, On the Six Wings of the Seraphim, The Journey of the Mind into God, Another on himself, A Defense of the Mendicant Religious Life, The Tree of the Cross, Breviloquium, Sunday Sermons on the Gospels and Epistles throughout the year, A Compendium of the Truth of Sacred Scripture, On the Formation of Novices, On the Stimulus of Love, and the Pharetra; he also reformed and added much to the Office, and other works. There are many more. He wrote small works numbering up to thirty. These are frequently found in the regions of Gaul.
A Holy Departure and Eternal Memory
The account concludes with Bonaventure's death, the incorruptibility of his heart, and his eventual canonization.
They are held in his hands, and in this way, he progressed in equal holiness and fruitful work. He passed away in the year of our Lord 1274. He died on the thirteenth of July at the age of fifty-three and was buried in Lyon in the church of Saint Francis, where he shines with miracles. His heart was found incorrupt when the rest of his body had turned to ash, and in the year of salvation 1482, he was enrolled among the holy pontiffs by Pope Sixtus IV. His feast is celebrated on the second Sunday of July.
Read the original Latin
Bonaventura episcopus Albanensis et cardinalis de Dalneo Regio oriundus ex voto matris pro ipsius infirmitate adhuc pueruli beati Francisci habitum Suscepit, qui snb Alexandro de Hales theologiae et morun sic evasit integerrimus, ut saepius de eo diceret Alexander: verus Israelita est iste, in quo Adam non peccasse videtur. Hic annorum XXXV inter tot venerabiles religionis patres propter suam perfectionem factus minister regulam beati Francisci periclitantem Narbone in generali capitulo reformavit et magistri Geraldi apologeticum libellum contra minores subtiliter. confutavit, Hic in beati Antonii translatione Patavium XXXII, anno obitus ejus linguam recentem ac rnbicundam in manibus lenens inter lacrymas ait: o lingua, quae Deum semper benedixisti et alios benedicere docuisti, nun perspicne cernitur, quanti meriti fueris apud Deum? et sic oscnlans deposuit, Laborante vero difficultatibus romana sede a Gregorio XI, et sacro senatu cardinalis et episcopus Albanensis quamvis renuens proclamatur et statim ad concilium Lngdunense cum Rothomagense et Tripolitano episcopo de rebus arduis pertractandis destinatur, in quo adeo prudenter Graecorum haereses composuit, quod omnes praesente tunc Palaeologo eorum imperatore libere se deinceps Romanae sedi parere velle profilerentur. Hic libros edidit intitulatos de septem visionibus, sententiae sentenliarum , super evangeliis, praesertim Lucae, officium de cruce, officium beati Francisci et de ejus vita, de sex alis Seraphim, itinerarium inentis in Deum, altermn in se ipsum, defensorium religionis mendicantium , arbor crucis, breviloquia, sermones dominicales super evangeliis et epistolis per anni circulum, compendium veritalis sacrae scripturae, de institutione novitiorum , de stimulo amoris, pharetra, Multa in officio reformavit et addidit et alia. plura. opuscula usque ad tricenarium. numerum, quae in partibus Galliarum frequenter.
in manibus habentnr, Et sic in pari sanctitate el opuin fructu proficiens. ex humanis sublatas est anno domini MCCLXXIV. , tertio idus Jul, et aetatis suae LUIL, Lugduni in ecclesia beati Francisci sepultus, miraculis radians, Cujus cor reliquo corpore incinerato incorruptum inventum est et a Sixto ponlifice IV, anno salutis MCCCCLXXXII sanctorum pontificum numero adscriptus est, Ejus festum dominica secunda Julii celebratur,
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks