Bonaventure

Born Giovanni di Fidanza at Civita di Bagnoregio near Viterbo in 1221, he entered the Franciscan order (profession recorded 1243), studied and taught in Paris (holding the Franciscan chair and lecturing on the Sentences), served as seventh Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, was appointed Archbishop of York (resigned), became Cardinal Bishop of Albano, and died at the Second Council of Lyon on 15 July 1274. He was canonized in 1482 and later declared a Doctor of the Church (commonly cited 1588 in standard accounts).

The supplied sources do not provide a contemporaneous physical description of Bonaventure. The only posthumous corporeal description recorded in the sources concerns the 1434 translation of his body to a new church in which the head was reported as incorrupt—'the hair, lips, teeth, and tongue were perfectly preserved and retained their natural colour.' Later events include the burning of many relics in Lyon (1562) and loss or hiding of material relics during subsequent upheavals; an arm and hand reputedly associated with him are conserved at Bagnoregio.

As a historical, sanctified person his capacities are intellectual, pastoral, and institutional: major works of theology and spirituality (Itinerarium mentis in Deum, Breviloquium, Lignum vitae, Commentary on the Sentences, De reductione artium ad theologiam, among others); leadership as Minister General with regulatory action in Franciscan chapters; participation in high ecclesiastical politics including papal elections and attendance at the Second Council of Lyon. Sources record extraordinary posthumous claims (incorruptibility of the head at translation in 1434) and a contested account of his sudden death—older references (1913 Catholic Encyclopedia) cite sources suggesting possible poisoning, while later reference works (2003 New Catholic Encyclopedia) omit that allegation.