The reason why Francesca Bussa dei Ponziani (1384-1440) is also called Francesca Romana lays not only in her Roman origins, but also in the extraordinary consensus that she received from all social classes within the city of Rome, from the sick and poor up to the noble families. This is evident both from the accounts of her visions, which Francesca Canepuccia has studied extensively, and from the records of her canonization process. As a visionary woman in the late Middle Ages Francesca Romana risked being judged heretic was concrete, but she was able to avoid this fate also thanks to the support of the Roman citizens who immediately recognized her holiness.
The great success Francesca achieved in Rome allowed her a daring move: she sent messages to the pope trying to advise him on the critical political situation that the Roman Church was facing. Although the pope paid little attention to these messages, they still demonstrate Francesca Romana’s importance as a public figure, not least as a prophetess whose divine mission was never questioned by her contemporaries.
Francesca Canepuccia successfully defended her dissertation on 27 January 2023.
Trial lecture
Designated topic: Give a presentation on the historical background and development of the concept of "discernment of spirits", and reflect on its meaning, role, and functions in the late Middle Ages
Evaluation committee
Professor Barbara Newman, Northwestern University (first opponent)
Associate Professor Isabella Gagliardi, University of Florence (second opponent)
Professor Reidar Aasgaard, University of Oslo (committee administrator)
Chair of the defence
Professor Christine Amadou
Supervisors
Professor Unn Falkeid, University of Oslo
Assistant Professor Anna Wainwright, University of New Hampshire