Innocenzo III

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Innocenzo III is the pope who granted the first approval, oral only, to the rule of Francis of Assisi in 1210. The notes to Canto XI of the Paradiso recall that it was he himself who welcomed the proposal of the Franciscan way of life, despite having initially judged such a rule too harsh and austere, seeming to surpass human strength. With this oral approval, defined in the commentaries as the 'first seal,' the pope also granted the friars permission to preach — a task reserved for bishops — provided only that it concerned moral and not dogmatic matters. The approval was later confirmed with a pontifical bull by Onorio III. The Dante note at Paradiso XI, 92, recalls that Francis presented himself before the pontiff without lowering his gaze, speaking with equal dignity despite his humble condition as the son of a merchant.