Letter from Antonio Di Seravezza to [PF], 1670-07-02, Tunis

Title

Letter from Antonio Di Seravezza to [PF], 1670-07-02, Tunis

Subject

Capuchins
Franciscans
Seravezza case
Slave priests
Tunis
Petitions for missionary patents

Description

Letter from Antonio Di Seravezza to PF. They already heard from Girolamo Da Sassari about the things that Gio' Ambrogini [Jean Ambrozin] has done. He took the alms intended for the church, and his successor Gio' Livighieri [Jean Le Vacher] continued this practice. Da Sassari tried to force Ambrozin to pay back the money, the consul subsequently threatened to burn him, after which Da Sassari had to leave the city. Da Sassari informed him that if he saw a way to take the money from the consul, Di Seravezza should do this. For now the consul should no longer be allowed to interfene in the alms. The consul however told him that he would continue with the collection of the alms, as his predecessor had also done. Di Seravezza informed him that the reason his predecessor had collected the alms, is that he had also been vicar as well as consul. Therefore he should not interfene with the buisiness of the church; PF was made aware of this in the translated statement that he sent to them, by the commissionary general of Terra Santa, Father Chintana. He has been away for almost a year without being able to do anything. Now he has put the case into the hands of the nuncio, as had been ordered by the general of the Capuchins; one can read this from the attached document. He ordered him to go to the nuncio [Pietro Bargellini] and let him talk to the king [of France]. However the nuncio did not want to do this, nor did he want to give Di Seravezza's writings to the king. Because the cardinals of PF were in conclave they could also not help him. Eventually the nuncio sent him a letter, the same of which Di Seravezza also sent to PF. Because he could not be helped in Paris or by PF, he decided to return to Tunis. The case has damaged the church of Tunis, and he was informed of this, by the letters that the Christians in the city sent him. Di Seravezza does not know what to do anymore, since the nuncio does not want to speak to the king. He hopes however that PF will bring the case to the king so that he will do justice. He also wishes that the poor slaves who have no hope to be freed will at least receive spiritual consolation from PF. When he returned in Tunis they gave him a letter from Livighier [Jean Le Vacher], who wrote that PF had sent him Di Seravezza's confirmation. Even though he knew that Di Seravezza was in Marseille, he did not send it to him; it is for this reason that he asks PF if they know how to help them. They have heard from Girolamo Da Sassari and read in the letters of the Christians, and the letter written by Angiolo Ranuzzi, the archbishop of Dalmatia, the request to send him the patents. He needs the patents so that he will be better able to serve the church, the slave priests will acknowledge him, and he will be able to manage the money. If they decide to send it to him they can do this by means of the general of the Capuchins, who will send it via Genua and Tabarca to Tunis. PF dedicdes: 1) that the vicar apostolic [Jean Le Vacher] should be asked to give exact information about the case of the consul; 2) the superior of the Minor Observants should be asked to recall Antonio Di Seravezza; and 3) the patents of Girolamo Da Sassari should be revoked.
Date discussed: 1670-11-10
Additional comments

Creator

Antonio Di Seravezza

Source

APF SOCG 424, 252r, 255v

Date

1670-05-10

Contributor

Adressed to [PF]

Relation

For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see: APF ACTA 39, 197r, 201r-202v (database item 669).
See for the Antonio Di Seravezza mentioned translated statement APF SOCG 430, 248r-249v, 255r-256r (database item 734).
See for the letter PF sent to Jean Le Vacher to ask for more information about the consul: APF LETTERE 55, 74v (database item 609).

Format

Original; signed

Language

Italian
Latin

Type

Letter

Identifier

753

Coverage

Origin: Tunis
Destination: Rome

Citation

Antonio Di Seravezza, “Letter from Antonio Di Seravezza to [PF], 1670-07-02, Tunis,” Early Modern Documents: Sources and Resources for Historical Research, accessed March 19, 2024, https://earlymoderndocs.omeka.net/items/show/13294.