PUBLIC HONORS AND DEEDS OF FRA LUJO SPAGNOLETTI, THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBROVNIK 1792–1799

Franjevac Lujo Spagnoletti proveo je krajem 18. stoljeća sedam godina na čelu Crkve u Dubrovniku kao nadbiskup i metropolit. Unatoč dugotrajnoj gospodarskoj krizi, produbljenoj sve jačim francuskim političkim pritiskom nakon osvajanja u Italiji, htjelo se po svaku cijenu očuvati drevnu veličinu. Zato je Spagnoletti, službeno izabran u dubrovačkom Senatu i kasnije potvrđen u Rimu, dolično pozdravljen na raskošnom banketu, uz veliku povorku gradskim ulicama i svečani govor koji je u katedrali održao kanonik Rafael Radelja. Činilo se da će taj znalac moralne teologije i kanonskog prava, ugledan propovjednik i duhovnik s iskustvom dvaju mandata na čelu Dubrovačke provincije franjevačkog reda, naći izlaz iz tegobne svakodnevice dubrovačke države i Crkve. Nažalost, njegova je uloga ostala samo u protokolarnim okvirima, pri čemu je morao podržati i zahtjev Senata za ukidanjem srednjovjekovne benediktinske opatije sv. Marije na otoku Lokrumu. Kad se pijarist Francesco Maria Appendini obratio nazočnima u katedrali s riječima utjehe na Spagnolettijevu zadnjem ispraćaju, idealizirao je njegov lik, sanjareći o ravnoteži u odnosima između Crkve i države, koja bi napokon prevladala gospodarsku i političku krizu u Dubrovačkoj Republici i cijelom zapadnom svijetu. Ako je Spagnoletti tada poslužio kao model, onda se doista približio velikanima koji su u prohujalim stoljećima vodili Crkvu u Dubrovniku kao nadbiskupi i metropoliti.At the end of the eighteenth century Franciscan cleric Lujo Spagnoletti was the archbishop and metropolitan of the Dubrovnik’s Church. Dubrovnik Senate elected him when he was already quite old. Due to this firm recommendation of Dubrovnik authorities, accompanied with his successful career and extensive knowledge proven by passing all the prescribed exams in Rome, Spagnoletti did not have any problems to acquire the papal approval, too. In this way he became one of many domestic clerics, mostly Franciscans and Dominicans, who governed the Archbishopric of Dubrovnik since 1720, when it was decided that local people could obtain this office. Spagnoletti was well known expert of the Canon Law and moral theology. Moreover, he was excellent preacher and diligent priest, and during his office as the governor of the Dubrovnik province of St. Francis he obtained a significant administrative experience. Unfortunately, a series of misfortunes and unpleasant circumstances did not allow him to play a significant role during his time at the Dubrovnik Archbishopric Diocese. Namely, after the earthquake of 1677 and the war crisis during the French invasion of Italy at the end of the eighteenth century Church of Dubrovnik rather quickly became quite poor, and therefore Spagnoletti was not able to efficiently resist secular authorities and their attempts to dispose property of the Dubrovnik Church. One of the most difficult instances was abolishment of the medieval Benedictine abbey of St. Mary at the island of Lokrum. In this occasion archbishop of Dubrovnik had to support claims of Dubrovnik Senate to remove Benedictine monks from this monastery, and to sell out all the property of the monastery in order to compensate financial damage caused by the French demands. A year after a long infirmity archbishop Spagnoletti has died, and by such his life became an example prized in many panegyrics. Namely, besides preserved archival sources, the archbishop’s letters addressed to the Curia of Dubrovnik and other documents produced by the contemporary Dubrovnik authorities, there are also two public speeches that can serve as excellent source for the investigation and evaluation of Lujo Spagnoletti’s life. The first one was given by canon Rafael Radelja in May 1792 in occasion of Spagnoletti’s inauguration to the position of newly elected archbishop of Dubrovnik, and the second one was funeral speech by Francesco Maria Appendini held in July 1799. Though the both speakers gave much attention to the clarity of Latin and glorifying stylistic figures, it is quite clear that both of them had a rather close and personal relation with Spagnoletti. Thus, both of them portrayed him as a sensitive man who almost fainted when he heard about the death of his advisor and protector Hijacint Maria Miljaković. Moreover, they highlighted archbishop’s devotion in taking care of sick and people in need. Later historiographers, especially ecclesiastical, dedicated to much attention to these speeches, believing even in statements that were obviously in contradiction with historiographical facts, as was in the case of invented unity of Dubrovnik Senate during the election of Spagnoletti to the position of Dubrovnik’s archbishop. However, if one analyses these speeches from the perspective that writers wanted to depict an idealistic equilibrium between Church and State, in order to overcome a real economic and political crisis that troubled The Republic of Dubrovnik, it becomes clear that writers’ description of a humble Franciscan at the archbishopric see reveals a new dimension by which they probably wanted to describe bygone times when Church of Dubrovnik was governed by really great archbishops and metropolitans