Editing Franciscans (section)

====1232–1239====
[[File:Anthony pereda.jpg|thumb|left|[[Anthony of Padua]] ({{circa|1195–1231}}) with the [[Child Jesus|Infant Christ]], painting by [[Antonio de Pereda]] ({{circa|1611–1678}})]]
Elias was a lay friar, and encouraged other laymen to enter the order. This brought opposition from many ordained friars and ministers provincial, who also opposed increased centralization of the Order. [[Pope Gregory IX|Gregory IX]] declared his intention to build a splendid church to house the body of Francis and the task fell to Elias, who at once began to lay plans for the erection of a great basilica at Assisi, to enshrine the remains of the ''Poverello''.<ref name=Paschal/> In order to build the basilica, Elias proceeded to collect money in various ways to meet the expenses of the building. Elias thus also alienated the zealots in the order, who felt this was not in keeping with the founder's views upon the question of poverty.

The earliest leader of the strict party was [[Brother Leo]], a close companion of Francis during his last years and the author of the {{lang|la|Speculum perfectionis}}, a strong polemic against the laxer party. Having protested against the collection of money for the erection of the basilica of San Francesco, it was Leo who broke in pieces the marble box which Elias had set up for offertories for the completion of the basilica at [[Assisi]]. For this Elias had him scourged, and this outrage on St Francis's dearest disciple consolidated the opposition to Elias. Leo was the leader in the early stages of the struggle in the order for the maintenance of St Francis's ideas on strict poverty.<ref name=paschrob>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09173a.htm Robinson, Paschal. "Brother Leo." The Catholic Encyclopedia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205134451/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09173a.htm |date=2019-12-05 }} Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 28 December 2019 {{PD-notice}}</ref> At the chapter held in May 1227, Elias was rejected in spite of his prominence, and [[Giovanni Parenti]], Minister Provincial of Spain, was elected Minister General of the order.

In 1232 Elias succeeded him, and under him the Order significantly developed its ministries and presence in the towns. Many new houses were founded, especially in Italy, and in many of them special attention was paid to education. The somewhat earlier settlements of Franciscan teachers at the universities (in [[Paris]], for example, where [[Alexander of Hales]] was teaching) continued to develop. Contributions toward the promotion of the Order's work, and especially the building of the Basilica in Assisi, came in abundantly. Funds could only be accepted on behalf of the friars for determined, imminent, real necessities that could not be provided for from begging. When in 1230, the General Chapter could not agree on a common interpretation of the 1223 Rule it sent a delegation including [[Anthony of Padua]] to [[Pope Gregory&nbsp;IX]] for an authentic interpretation of this piece of papal legislation. The bull {{lang|la|Quo elongati}} of Gregory&nbsp;IX declared that the Testament of St.&nbsp;Francis was not legally binding and offered an interpretation of poverty that would allow the Order to continue to develop. Gregory&nbsp;IX authorized agents of the Order to have custody of such funds where they could not be spent immediately. Elias pursued with great severity the principal leaders of the opposition, and even [[Bernardo di Quintavalle]], the founder's first disciple, was obliged to conceal himself for years in the forest of [[Sefro|Monte Sefro]].

The conflict between the two parties lasted many years and the {{lang|it|Zelanti}} won several notable victories in spite of the favor shown to their opponents by the papal administration, until finally the reconciliation of the two points of view was seen to be impossible and the order was actually split into halves.