Rome. Clement V publishes the Bull Flagitosumscelsus excommunicating Modena. Near the city of Modena, in fact, the previous year, Duke Passerino’s men had a truly terrible time: Raimondo da Spello, nephew of Pope Clement V, was robbed and killed. He was carrying 200,000 gold ducats to the papal seat in Avignon. The papal convoy was intercepted at Castelvetro. The French knights escorting him were slaughtered, while Raimondo’s body was taken to Bologna and buried there. On April 4, 1314, with the papal bull Flagitosumscelsus, Clement V excommunicated the guilty parties and interdicted the city of Modena. The Modenese were stripped of all ecclesiastical fiefs, the citizens declared infamous and unfit, the bishop, priests, and all clergy were ordered to leave the city, and the Modenese were no longer admitted to the sacraments, except baptism and extreme unction. The situation was, in reality, less serious and less lasting than it seemed: on April 14, 1314, with the death of Clement V, his successor John XXII effectively froze the sentence. And in January 1324, the Pope consented to the return of the clergy to Modena.
