Mendicants and Merchants in Fifteenth Century Florence


February 27, 2012

Fr. John Allard, OP
On Thursday, February 16, 2012, Fr. John Allard, OP, offered a lecture titled: “Friarbucks in Florence: Cashing in on Holiness During the Renaissance.”  Fr. Allard is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Providence College.  The talk focuses on the life of the Dominican friars in 15th century Florence, focusing especially on the acquisition of the Priory of San Marco.  The medieval Priory of San Marco was the home of a number of important Dominicans, including St. Antoninus of Florence and Bl. John of Fiesole (Fra Angelico).  The art of Fra Angelico continues to draw visitors to the former Priory of San Marco, which was acquired by the Italian government following the expulsion of the religious orders in the 19th century.  Fr. Allard presents the complex relations between the observant life of the Florentine friars and the great Medici merchants of medieval Florence. The video is made available through the Center for Catholic and Dominican Studies at Providence College:   [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYA48NRKgs4]

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