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500 Antonio Mursia

to deal with the ills that plagued Sicilian urban societies . In 1442,
86
Matthew finally had the opportunity to return to Agrigento, thanks to
the wishes of Alfonso, who placed him on the city’s bishopric. The friar,
however, immediately had to clash with the ecclesiastical hierarchies
and the Agrigento ruling classes because of the church reform he
wished to bring about. Indeed, his presence created an even more
tense situation, which forced him, in 1445, to put his mandate back
into the hands of Pope Eugeny IV . Thus ended the Franciscan’s long
87
parable, which had probably begun in Agrigento some sixty years ear-
lier. Matthew died in 1450 in the convent of St. Mary of Angels in Pa-
lermo .
88

86 Regarding the relationship between the observance movement and city life,
decidedly interested news can be found in the study of J.C.M. Vigueur, Bernardino
et la vie citadine, in Bernardino nella società del suo tempo, Accademia Tudertina,
Todi 1976, pp. 251-282.
87 Cf. M. Sensi, Il beato Matthew da Agrigento cit., p. 340.
88 See P. Evangelisti, Matthew di Agrigento, in Dizionario biografico degli italiani,
72, Istituto per l’Enciclopedia Italiana, Roma 2008, pp. 208-212.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XX - Dicembre 2023
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)