Preaching, the city, and the saints: an analysis of the civic-liturgical context of the Venit in civitatem suam sermons (1304) by Giordano da Pisa (c. 1260-1311)

Abstract

This article explores the civic-liturgical context of three sermons by the friar Preacher Giordano da Pisa, delivered during a same week of 1304 in Florence (two on Sunday and one on Thursday), all of them from the verse of Matthew 9, 1 (Venit in civitatem suam). Based on considerations regarding the choice of the biblical verse, as well as the examination of other documents of the Dominican Order and two liturgical books of the Florentine cathedral, I argue that the friar deliberately chose not to follow the liturgical customs of sermon composition in these preachings. Thus, it is concluded that this procedure was made to establish a reflection on the city (the quintessential human environment, both on Earth and in Heaven) in view of the civic-religious feast of Saint Reparata, Florence’s patroness saint, which took place on Thursday.