Saint Bonaventura (1221 - 1274)
Elected as governor-general of the Franciscan order at the age of 36, Bonaventura was chosen to be Cardinal Bishop of Albano by Pope Gregory X in 1273.
Bonaventura set the agenda of the General Council of Lyon in 1274, and he played an important role, facilitating the (short-lived) reunion of the Greek and Latin churches. He preached at the Reconciliation Mass at the Council, but died soon after on the 15th July, not living to see the new split.
After his death, Bonaventura was described as: "A man of science and great eloquence. A man marked out by his holiness, his life, his behaviour and his morals: good, affable, pious and merciful, full of virtue, a friend of God and of man."
Sadly, the reunion Bonaventura had helped create in theory was never accepted in practice. He was buried in the "Church of the Brothers Minor of Lyon" which was the name given to the Franciscans. They were also given the name of "Cordeliers" because of the rope belt around their grey gown. The church in Lyon at the "place des Cordeliers" is dedicated to Saint Bonaventura and was built on the site of this earlier church.
Blessed are the peacmakers: for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)