CHAP. XIII.
POPE PAUL II. SHORTENS THE INTERVALS OF THE JUBILEES.—HE DIES.—POPE SIXTUS IV. ELECTED IN HIS STEAD: HE WAS GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF FRANCISCAN MONKS.—A YOUNG GIRL PRETENDS TO HAVE THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD ON HER HANDS, FEET, AND SIDE.
Pope Paul II. a Venetian, and of a very avaricious character, made a change, this year, in the intervals of the jubilees, which had been before celebrated every fifty years: he now appointed them to be held every twenty-five years. His reasons were, that as iniquities were become more abundant than ever, it was necessary that there should be more frequent opportunities offered to the people to pray for and obtain from our Lord the remission and pardon of their sins. Many expressions were said to have been used by this pope which ought not to be repeated,—for God is the sovereign Judge, and the only scrutinizer of hearts. He had begun to build a magnificent palace near the church of St Mark, at Rome, but died, the 21st of July, while he was busied about it, having reigned with papal dignity seven years.
Almost immediately on his decease, he was succeeded by pope Sixtus IV.[36] The new pope was, prior to his elevation, called Francis of Savona, in the genoese territory. He was a doctor of divinity, of a good reputation, and decent manners. It was for these excellent qualities, that, while general of the Franciscans, he was created a cardinal by Paul II. without his solicitation or knowledge.
Shortly after he arrived at his new dignity, Bernardo Justiniani, ambassador from Venice, harangued him on the rapid advances of the Turk, who had despoiled Christendom of two empires, four kingdoms, twenty provinces, and two hundred cities, with the loss of immense numbers of men, women and children,—and Bernardo exhorted the pope to make every exertion to oppose the enemy of the faith.
Pope Sixtus was very assiduous in the reparations of the city of Rome, and restored a bridge over the Tiber, anciently called Pons Judæus, but since called the Sixtine Bridge. He re-established the hospital of the Holy Ghost, where great alms are daily distributed to sick persons and poor orphans. He was zealous for the salvation of souls, and not sparing of his pardons and indulgences to devout Christians in various parts of the world, and did many acts worthy of remembrance.
During the reign of this pope, a young virgin, called Stine, in the town of Hame[37], in Westphalia, who had lately been converted to the Christian faith, was marked on the hands, feet, and side, with the wounds of our Saviour. About fifteen weeks after her conversion, on the feast of the holy sacrament, (Corpus-Christi-day) she displayed these wounds in the presence of twelve witnesses, and foretold, that within two hours afterward they would be no more seen, which was verified,—for at that precise time the wounds were all perfectly healed.