One of the questions posed by the papal charge to the witnesses at the
canonization trial, certainly after the 1260s, referred to the fama, or
public reputation of the putative saint. I think these replies are a good
way to become acquainted with the saint's constituency, the geographical
spread of his/her cult. Such responses clearly indicate the existence of a
popular cult even prior to official papal canonization. Both the bulls of
canonization and papal letters opening an inquiry also often begin with
references to those persons who have approached the pope for action. The
collection of letters which have survived in the dossiers of Lawrence of
Dublin and Gilbert of Sempringham, for example, would clearly seem to
suggest some kind of organized campaign predicated on the prior existence
of a cult, although perhaps in its infancy.
Michael Goodich
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