Original scientific paper
PUBLIC HONORS AND DEEDS OF FRA LUJO SPAGNOLETTI, THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBROVNIK 1792–1799
Relja SEFEROVIĆ
Abstract
At the end of the eighteenth century Franciscan cleric Lujo Spagnoletti was the archbishop and metropolitan of the Dubrovnik’s Church. Dubrovnik Senate elected him when he was already quite old. Due to this firm recommendation of Dubrovnik authorities, accompanied with his successful career and extensive knowledge proven by passing all the prescribed exams in Rome, Spagnoletti did not have any problems to acquire the papal approval, too. In this way he became one of many domestic clerics, mostly Franciscans
and Dominicans, who governed the Archbishopric of Dubrovnik since 1720, when it was decided that local people could obtain this office. Spagnoletti was well known expert of the Canon Law and moral theology. Moreover, he was excellent preacher and diligent priest,
and during his office as the governor of the Dubrovnik province of St. Francis he obtained a significant administrative experience.
Unfortunately, a series of misfortunes and unpleasant circumstances did not allow him to play a significant role during his time at the Dubrovnik Archbishopric Diocese. Namely, after the earthquake of 1677 and the war crisis during the French invasion of Italy at the
end of the eighteenth century Church of Dubrovnik rather quickly became quite poor, and therefore Spagnoletti was not able to efficiently resist secular authorities and their attempts to dispose property of the Dubrovnik Church. One of the most difficult instances
was abolishment of the medieval Benedictine abbey of St. Mary at the island of Lokrum. In this occasion archbishop of Dubrovnik had to support claims of Dubrovnik Senate to remove Benedictine monks from this monastery, and to sell out all the property of the monastery
in order to compensate financial damage caused by the French demands. A year after a long infirmity archbishop Spagnoletti has died, and by such his life became an example prized in many panegyrics. Namely, besides preserved archival sources, the archbishop’s letters addressed to the Curia of Dubrovnik and other documents produced by the contemporary Dubrovnik authorities, there are also two public speeches that can serve as excellent
source for the investigation and evaluation of Lujo Spagnoletti’s life. The first one was given by canon Rafael Radelja in May 1792 in occasion of Spagnoletti’s inauguration to the position of newly elected archbishop of Dubrovnik, and the second one was funeral
speech by Francesco Maria Appendini held in July 1799. Though the both speakers gave much attention to the clarity of Latin and glorifying stylistic figures, it is quite clear that both of them had a rather close and personal relation with Spagnoletti. Thus, both of them portrayed him as a sensitive man who almost fainted when he heard about the death of his advisor and protector Hijacint Maria Miljaković. Moreover, they highlighted archbishop’s devotion in taking care of sick and people in need. Later historiographers, especially ecclesiastical, dedicated to much attention to these speeches, believing even in statements that were obviously in contradiction with historiographical facts, as was in the case of invented unity of Dubrovnik Senate during the election of Spagnoletti to the position of
Dubrovnik’s archbishop. However, if one analyses these speeches from the perspective that writers wanted to depict an idealistic equilibrium between Church and State, in order to overcome a real economic and political crisis that troubled The Republic of Dubrovnik,
it becomes clear that writers’ description of a humble Franciscan at the archbishopric see reveals a new dimension by which they probably wanted to describe bygone times when Church of Dubrovnik was governed by really great archbishops and metropolitans.
Keywords
The Republic of Dubrovnik; 18th century; archbishop; authorities; Franciscans; Benedictines; Abbey of Lokrum
Hrčak ID:
151860
URI
Publication date:
18.12.2015.
Visits: 2.025 *