Fra Dolcino

Recent research by Raniero Orioli[1] presents a plausible theory: the paper of the Anonymous Synchronous (an "anonymous contemporary")[2] written shortly after the facts, identifies him as nomine Dulcinus, filius presbyteri Iulii de Tarecontano Vallis Ossole diocesis Novariensis (by name Dulcinus, son of presbyter Julius from Tarecontano of the Ossola Valley in the diocese of Novara); a few years later the inquisitor Bernardo Gui[3] in his work on heretical sects reports the same information changing the word presbyteri to sacerdotis (priest) thus concluding that he was the illegitimate son of a priest.

Benvenuto da Imola[4] in his commentaries written less than a century after the fact tells us that Dolcino was born in Romagnano Sesia, went in his childhood to Vercelli and there lived in the church of St. Agnes where he studied grammar.

The priests refused and did not accuse him of anything but Dolcino was terrorized and fled far away to the city of Trento where he met and joined the sect of the Apostolics.

It ended in the mountains in Sesia Valley and in the Biella area, in Piedmont, Italy, on 23 March 1307 when many crusaders (multi crucesignati) finally conquered the fortification built on the mount Rubello by the Dulcinians.

[7] In particular he was positively reevaluated toward the end of the 19th century and was dubbed the Apostle of the Socialist Jesus[8] and thus in 1907 left wing workers of Biella and the Sesia Valley erected a monument on mount Rubello,[9] the place of its last resistance.

The dialogue between the narrator Adso and the old priest Ubertino recounts the story of Fra Dolcino in outline, leaving much to the imagination of the reader.