Saint Vincent Ferrer: Life, Sermons, and 15th-Century Influence
Saint Vincent Ferrer: Life, Sermons, and Influence
Saint Vincent Ferrer (born in Valencia in 1350, not 1750) achieved universal fame throughout his life. His sermons were renowned for their ability to turn people away from vice and to teach Christian morality. He was a great traveler and visited countries like Spain, France, Switzerland, and Italy. He was a master of theology and a counselor to kings.
Saint Vincent Ferrer is a very important figure for two reasons: his significant literary work and his political influence. From a political standpoint, he was involved in two major events of the period: the Western Schism and the Compromise of Caspe.
The Western Schism and the Compromise of Caspe
Ferrer actively participated in resolving the division of the Catholic Church, which had two popes at the time. He also played a key role in the Compromise of Caspe, choosing the candidate Ferdinand I (not II) of the Spanish dynasty Trastámara, who became king of the Crown of Aragon (Catalano-Aragonese).
Ferrer’s Literary Work: The Sermons
Saint Vincent Ferrer’s sermons, mostly written in Catalan, were listened to with enthusiasm, not only by Catalans but also by Spaniards, Italians, and Provençals. This demonstrates the cunning and rhetorical effectiveness of his posturing. The sermons were copied by *reportadors*, people who always accompanied him. Only 280 remain, and 52 were sermons preached in Valencia.
Structure of a Sermon
Ferrer’s sermons (oral argumentative texts intended to convince the receiver, often illiterate people, with the goal of teaching Christian morality) were structured based on a treatise by Francesc Eiximenis called *Ars Praedicandi Populo*. According to Saint Vincent, that book divided the sermon into three parts: introduction, discussion of the moral issue, and conclusion.
- Introduction: He would tell a story from the Bible and pray a Hail Mary.
- The Issue: He discussed the issue, drawing a conclusion from the previous story.
- Moral Conclusion: He presented the moral of the story.
Language and Style of Preaching
Ferrer used a colloquial and simple language, characterized by linguistic resources such as diminutives, *desprectives* (presumably pejoratives), set phrases, gestures, and onomatopoeia (using his eyes, mouth, hands, etc.).
Literature in 15th-Century Valencia
In the 15th century, the city of Valencia came into contact with the Italian Renaissance. All authors were influenced by this movement. This contact was possible due to the settlement of King Alfonso the Magnanimous’s court in Naples (Italy). Writers imitated the style of Italian Renaissance writers like Petrarch and Boccaccio. In addition, there was also interest in classical Roman writers, such as Ovid.
Changes in Poetry
- The lady to whom the poem was dedicated was no longer idealized. The poem could be addressed to maidens and even nuns.
- The king’s court was no longer the only center that promoted poetry. Other cultural centers promoted poetry through poetic contests in cities.
- Compositions were no longer tied to music, which led to the disappearance of the *joglars* (minstrels). The poetic text was then intended to be read.
- The *tornada*, a signal at the end of troubadour poems that kept the woman’s name secret, gradually disappeared, and the woman’s actual name appeared in the poem.
- The decasyllabic verse (10 syllables) with a caesura (pause) on the fourth syllable appeared. The poets preceding Ausiàs March were in the troubadour tradition.