Libretto della Celebrazione - La Santa Sede

wishing to honour Our Lady, the founders wore a white habit.
Welcoming the small group of monks, the bishop said: “Since your
fellow citizens glory in placing themselves under the patronage
of the Virgin, and because of the virginal purity of the glorious
Mother, it pleases you to wear a white monastic habit, therefore
showing outwardly that purity which you harbour within” (Antonio
di Barga, Cronaca 5). The white habit characterised various
forms of medieval monasticism, amongst which the Camaldolese,
Carthusians, Cistercians and the monks of Montevergine.
With the laying of the first stone of the church on the 1 st of
April 1319, the monastery of Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto Maggiore
was born. The hermits became monks according to the Rule of
St Benedict to which they made some institutional changes. The
most characteristic element of this institutional change recorded in
an episcopal document 28 th March 1324, was the temporariness of
the abbatial office, and the abbot-elect would have to be confirmed
by the bishop of Arezzo. When the time came to elect an abbot,
Bernardo succeeded in withdrawing himself from those eligible
because of his infirmity of sight. Therefore, Patrizio Patrizi was
elected first abbot (1 st of September 1319). Two other abbots
followed: Ambrogio Piccolomini (1 st of September 1320) and Simone
di Tura (1 st of September 1321). On the 1 st of September 1322,
Bernardo could no longer oppose the wishes of his brethren and so
became the fourth abbot of the Monastery he founded, remaining
abbot until his death. An Act dated 24 st September 1326 attests that
the Apostolic Legate, Cardinal Giovanni Caetani Orsini († 1339),
dispensed abbot Bernardo from the Canonical impediment of
Infirmity of Sight, hence validating his election. From Avignone,
with three Bulls dated 21 st January 1344 (Significant Vestrae
Sanctitati: acknowledges the foundation and requests pontifical
privileges; Vacantibus sub religionis: canonical approval of the new
community; Solicitudinis pastoralis officium: the faculty to erect
new monasteries in Italy) Clemente VI approved the Congregation
which numbered ten monasteries. Bernardo did not go to Avignone
himself, but sent two monks: Simone Tendi and Michele Tani.
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