The Reforming Monk

The Reforming Monk

Once upon a time a worldly city became spiritual—even if only for a time.

GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA was born in 1452 in Ferrara, Italy. He was a sensitive and serious boy who was enamored with the study of religion. He started training as a physician, but his idealism caused him to drop out and join the Dominican order to fight the evils of the world. He transferred to the Convent of San Marco in Florence in 1482 and rose to the position of prior.

Savonarola was deeply distressed by the corruption within the Catholic Church and what he saw as a lack of piety among its leaders. He spent his time praying, fasting, and teaching the novice monks. By 1491 he had become famous as a preacher. The primary themes of his sermons were God’s pending judgment and the need for repentance. He also preached against the worldliness of the clergy, the evils of the ruling class, and the general corruption of secular living.

His criticisms of the ruling class made Savonarola, in effect, the spiritual leader of the democratic party when it came to power in Florence in 1494. He gained additional popularity when he succeeded in convincing the French king to give up occupation of the city after he had conquered it. Many considered him to be a prophet.

Savonarola used his power and popularity to bring about reform of church and state. He is considered to be one of the early reformers of the Catholic Church. Although he didn’t disagree with the organization or teachings of the church as did later Reformers, he did believe in justification by faith and in living a godly life. He became a virtual dictator over Florence, and under his leadership it underwent a startling transformation: Businessmen restored ill-gotten gains; there was much Bible reading; and the churches were crowded.

At the same time, Savonarola made many enemies, especially within the clergy. Pope Alexander VI hated Savonarola because he openly condemned the pope’s character and practices and did not acknowledge his authority. In 1495 the pope summoned Savonarola to Rome, but he refused to go. The pope then commanded him to discontinue all his preaching. Savonarola obeyed for awhile and spent his time studying. However, during this time when he was supposed to be inactive, he succeeded in turning a usually riotous annual carnival into a time of giving to the poor and singing hymns in the street! Next the pope attempted to gain control over Savonarola by ordering the monastery of San Marco to be incorporated into a new grouping of convents that would be more subject to the authority of Rome. Savonarola defied the order.

Savonarola’s spiritual influence over Florence was so strong that during the carnival season in 1497 children gathered indecent books and pictures and made a bonfire of them in the main square while singing hymns. This “bonfire of vanities” was an affront to many of the city’s moderates.

With the passage of time, community support for Savonarola’s strict views started to wane, and his power began to erode. Pope Alexander VI sensed the changing heart of the people toward Savonarola and decided to make the most of it.

On May 13, 1497, Alexander VI excommunicated Savonarola from the church on the grounds that he had disobeyed the pope’s commands. The pope ordered Florence to silence Savonarola or send him to Rome for trial. The fickle public abandoned him as the city government changed hands. The new government arrested Savonarola in April 1498. He was tried for sedition and heresy and was brutally tortured. On May 23, 1498, he was publicly hanged and his body burned.

In the succeeding years the majority of citizens of Florence went back to their old ways, yet many permanently changed. One of those was a sculptor named Michelangelo.

Reflection

Savonarola insisted that all Christians, especially religious leaders, practice what they preach. Would your family and friends say you practice what you preach? In our own strength it is impossible to live a Christian life, but if we give our allegiance to Jesus Christ, he will enable us to live more like him.

God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.

Romans 8:29