Jacopone da Todi, also known as Jacobus de
Benedictis, an Italian monk and poet, was
born at Todi, in Umbria, early in the thirteenth
century. "He was descended from a
noble family," says Julian, "and for some
time led a secular life. Some remarkable
circumstances which attended the violent
death of his wife led him to withdraw himself
from the world and to enter the order
of St. Francis, in which he remained as a
lay brother till his death, at an advanced
age, in 1306. His zeal led him to attack
the religious abuses of the day. This
brought him into conflict with Pope Boniface
VIII., the result being his imprisonment
for long periods." His oddities, eccentricities,
and extravagances were such
as to leave neighbors in doubt as to whether
he was of a sound mind. Tradition at
Todi, his birthplace, credits him with the
authorship of the famous Latin hymn,
"Stabat mater dolorosa," but it is by no
means certain that he wrote it.
| Near the cross was Mary weeping |
154 |
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