U-Alexander VI—Upapa IRome Engamlibali

“NGOKOMBONO wamaKatolika, akunakwenzeka ukumgxeka ngamazwi aqine ngokwanele u-Alexander VI.” (Geschichte der Päpste seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters [Umlando Wopapa Kusukela Ekupheleni KweNkathi Ephakathi]) “Ukuphila kwakhe kwangasese akunakutholelwa nelincane ibhaxa . . . Kufanele sivume ukuthi lesi sikhathi [sakhe] sobupapa asiliniki iSonto igama elihle. Nakuba abantu ababephila ngesikhathi esisodwa nomkhaya wakwaBorgia babeyijwayele imihlola enjena, ezawo izinkohlakalo babezibuka bakhexe, [futhi] zisaqhubeka zinemiphumela ngisho sekwadlula iminyaka engaphezu kwamakhulu amane.”—L’Église et la Renaissance (1449-1517)(ISonto NeNkathi Yoshintsho).

Kungani izincwadi zomlando ezihlonishwayo ezikhuluma ngeSonto LamaRoma Katolika zimhlaba kangaka upapa nomkhaya wakhe? Babenzeni ukuze bagxekwe kangaka? Umbukiso owenziwa eRome (ngo-October 2002 kuya ku-February 2003), onesihloko esithi I Borgia—l’arte del potere (AbakwaBorgia—Ubuciko Bokubusa), wanikeza ithuba lokuzindla ngamalungelo akhethekile opapa, ikakhulu indlela uRodrigo Borgia, noma u-Alexander VI (owayengupapa kusukela ngo-1492 kuya ku-1503), awasebenzisa ngayo.

Ukuthola Amandla Okubusa

URodrigo Borgia wazalelwa emkhayeni ovelele ngo-1431, eJátiva, embusweni wase-Aragon, esiseSpain. Uninalume u-Alfonso de Borgia, umbhishobhi waseValencia, wengamela imfundo yomshana wakhe waqinisekisa nokuthi lapho eseneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-12 ubudala, uRodrigo unikwa izikhundla zesonto eziholelayo. Lapho eneminyaka engu-18 ubudala, enakekelwa u-Alfonso owayesengukhadinali, uRodrigo wathuthela e-Italy, lapho afundela khona ezomthetho. Lapho u-Alfonso eba uPapa Calixtus III, wabeka uRodrigo nomunye umshana wakhe baba okhadinali. UPere Lluís Borgia wenziwa umbusi wamadolobha amaningana. Kungakabiphi uRodrigo wamiswa njengesekela likashansela wesonto, isikhundla aqhubeka ekuso phakathi nokubusa kopapa abahlukahlukene, kwamenza wakwazi ukuzitholela izikhundla eziningi eziholela kahle, wazibuthela ingcebo eningi, waba nethonya elikhulu futhi waphila ntofontofo kuhle kwenkosana.

URodrigo wayekhaliphile, eyiqaphuqaphu, engumxhasi wezobuciko futhi enekhono lokufinyelela imigomo yakhe. Nokho, wayenamashende amaningi, enezingane ezine entokazini abáthandana nayo ukuphila kwabo konke, nezinye futhi kwabanye abesifazane. Nakuba uPapa Pius II amsola ngokuthanda kwakhe “ukuzijabulisa okuxekethile” ‘nezinjabulo ezingalawuliwe,’ uRodrigo akazishintshanga izindlela zakhe.

Lapho uPapa Innocent VIII efa ngo-1492, okhadinali besonto bahlangana ukuze bakhethe owayezomlandela. Akuphikwa ukuthi, ngokufumbathisa obala engathembi muntu, uRodrigo Borgia wazitholela amavoti anele kokhadinali abangozakwabo ukuze kuphunywe kulowo mhlangano esenguPapa Alexander VI. Wabakhokhela ngani okhadinali ngokumvotela kwabo? Ngokubapha izikhundla zesonto, izigodlo, izinqaba, amadolobha, imizi yezindela nezikhundla zobubhishobhi eziholela kakhulu. Ungaqonda ukuthi kungani esinye isazimlando sesonto sabiza ukubusa kuka-Alexander VI ngokuthi “izinsuku zehlazo nechilo eSontweni LamaRoma.”

Akawadluli Ngalutho Amakhosana Ezwe

Esebenzisa igunya lakhe njengenhloko yesonto, u-Alexander VI wasiza ekuxazululeni impikiswano yeSpain nePortugal mayelana namazwe aseMelika ayesanda kutholakala. Ithonya lakhe ezweni lamenza inhloko yezifunda zopapa ezihlanganisa nezindawo ezisenkabeni ye-Italy, futhi umbuso wakhe wayewubusa njenganoma iyiphi inkosi yeNkathi Ephakathi. Ngakho ukubusa kuka-Alexander VI, njengokopapa bangaphambi nangemva kwakhe, kwakuhambisana nokugwaza, ukwenzelela izihlobo, nokufa okusolisayo komuntu ongaphezu koyedwa.

Phakathi nalezi zikhathi zeziyaluyalu, imibuso eyizitha yayibanga izindawo zase-Italy, nopapa engazibekile phansi. Amacebo akhe obuqili ezombusazwe nemifelandawonye ayeyakha abuye ayibhidlize, kwakuhloselwe ukuqinisa umbuso wakhe, ukuthuthukisa izingane zakhe nokuphakamisa umndeni wakwaBorgia udlule yonke eminye. Indodana yakhe uJuan, eyayishade nomzala wenkosi yaseCastile, yenziwa umbusi (duke) waseGandía, eSpain. Enye indodana, uJofré, yashadiswa nomzukulu wenkosi yaseNaples.

Lapho lo papa edinga umbuso ozomsiza aqinise ubuhlobo bakhe neFrance, waphula isithembiso sendodakazi yakhe eneminyaka engu-13 ubudala, uLucrezia, sokushada nesikhulu sase-Aragon wayishadisa nesihlobo sombusi (duke) waseMilan. Lapho lo mshado ungasasizi ngalutho kwezombusazwe, kwenziwa izaba zokuwuqeda, uLucrezia washadiswa nelungu lohlanga lwamakhosi oluyizitha, u-Alfonso wase-Aragon. Njengoba kwenzeka konke lokhu, umfowabo kaLucrezia ozifunela udumo nononya, uCesare Borgia, wayakha umfelandawonye noLouis XII waseFrance, wayesephoxwa ukushada kukadadewabo nesikhulu sase-Aragon muva nje. Laba yini ikhambi? Omunye umthombo uthi u-Alfonso, umyeni owayeneshwa kadadewabo, “walinyazwa amadoda amane ayezama ukumbulala ezitebhisini zeSt. Peter’s Basilica. Kwathi esalulama, esinye sezisebenzi zikaCesare samklinya.” Efuna ukwakha imifelandawonye engamsiza, upapa wahlela ukuba uLucrezia owayeseneminyaka engu-21 ubudala, ashade okwesithathu eshada nendodana yombusi (duke) onamandla waseFerrara.

Ukuphila kukaCesare kuye kwachazwa ngokuthi “umlando wenkohlakalo, ogcwele ukuchitheka kwegazi.” Nakuba uyise abeka uCesare njengokhadinali eneminyaka engu-17 ubudala, wayefanelwe kangcono impi kunezindaba zesonto, njengoba ayenobuqili, ezifunela udumo futhi ekhohlakele njengabanye abathile. Ngemva kokushiya isikhundla sesonto, washada nenkosazana yaseFrance, ngaleyo ndlela ezitholela isifunda (duchy) saseValentinois. Esizwa amabutho aseFrance, wabe eseqala umkhankaso wokuvimbezela nokubulala ababusi ukuze yena abuse inyakatho ye-Italy.

Ukuze amabutho aseFrance aqhubeke emsekela, okwakudingeka ekuthuthukiseni imigomo kaCesare, upapa wanikeza uLouis XII waseFrance imvume yokufaka isehlukaniso esasiyomsiza kodwa esasinokukhohlakala, esamvumela ukuba ashade no-Anne waseBrittany futhi anezele isifunda (duchy) sika-Anne embusweni wakhe. Enye incwadi yezikhombo ithi empeleni upapa “wadela isithunzi seSonto nezimiso eziqinile ukuze atholele amalungu omkhaya wakhe izinzuzo zokubusa.”

Ukugxekwa Kokweqisa Kukapapa

Ukweqisa kwabakwaBorgia kwabenzela izitha futhi kwabenza bagxekwa. Ngokuyisisekelo, upapa wayengabagqizi qakala abagxeki bakhe, kodwa wayengenakumziba uGirolamo Savonarola. Wayeyindela engumDominic, engumshumayeli ovuthayo, nomholi wezombusazwe waseFlorence. Wagxeka inkohlakalo yomkhandlu kapapa nopapa ngokwakhe nezenzo zakhe zezombusazwe, ethi makasuswe esihlalweni kuguqulwe isonto. USavonarola wakhamuluka: “Baholi beSonto, . . . ebusuku niya ezancinzeni zenu bese kuthi ekuseni niyokwamukelisa isidlo.” Kamuva wathi: “[Labo baholi] banobuso besifebe, udumo lwabo lulimaza iBandla. Ngiyanitshela, laba bantu abakholelwa ebuKristwini.”

Ezama ukumvala umlomo ngokumfumbathisa, upapa wathembisa uSavonarola isikhundla sobukhadinali, wasenqaba. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yizenzo zakhe zezombusazwe zokulwa nopapa noma ukushumayela kwakhe okwamenzela phansi, uSavonarola wagcina exoshiwe ebandleni, waboshwa, wahlukunyezwa waze wavuma amacala, wayeselengiswa washiswa.

Imibuzo Ebalulekile

Lezi zenzakalo zomlando ziphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile. Kwakwenzenjani upapa aze agile imikhuba enjena futhi aziphathe kanjena? Izazimlando zona zithi kwakwenzenjani? Zihlukahlukene izincazelo ezinikezwayo.

Abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi u-Alexander VI kufanele abhekwe ngokomongo wesikhathi sakhe. Izenzo zakhe kwezombusazwe nasesontweni kuthiwa zazithonywe isifiso sokulondoloza ukuthula, ukwenza imibuso eyizitha ilingane, ukuqinisa ubungane namazwe ayeyomsiza ekuvikeleni ubupapa, nokugcina izikhulu zeLobukholwa zimunye ekulweni nosongo lwabaseTurkey.

Kodwa ukuziphatha kwakhe kona? Esinye isazi sithi: “Kuzo zonke izinkathi zeSonto, ayeba khona amaKristu amabi nabapristi abangafaneleki . . . UKristu uqobo wakubikezela lokhu ukuze kungabikho muntu oshaqekayo; waze wafanisa iBandla lakhe nensimu emila ukolweni omuhle nokhula, noma inetha elinezinhlanzi ezinhle nezimbi, njengoba nje abekezelela ngisho noJuda kubaphostoli bakhe.”a

Lesi sazi siqhubeka sithi: “Njengoba ukungalungi kwento itshe eliyigugu elibekwe kuyo kungalehlisi izinga lalelo tshe, ngokufanayo ukuba nesono kompristi akuzilimazi ngempela . . . izimfundiso azifundisayo. . . . Igolide lihlala liyigolide, noma ngabe lilethwa isandla esihlanzekile noma esigcolile.” Esinye isazimlando esingumKatolika sithi indinganiso amaKatolika aqotho okwakufanele ayilandele endabeni ka-Alexander VI yiseluleko uJesu asinika abafundi bakhe mayelana nababhali nabaFarisi: ‘Yenzani njengoba besho, hhayi njengoba benza.’ (Mathewu 23:2, 3) Kodwa ngempela nje, iyakwanelisa yini wena leyo ndlela yokucabanga?

Ingabe UbuKristu Beqiniso Lobu?

UJesu washiya isiqondiso esilula sokuhlola ubunjalo balabo abathi bangamaKristu: “Niyobazi ngezithelo zabo. Abantu abawakhi neze amagilebhisi emeveni noma amakhiwane emakhakhasini, akunjalo? Ngokufanayo yonke imithi emihle ithela izithelo ezinhle, kodwa yonke imithi ebolile ithela izithelo ezingenamsebenzi; umuthi omuhle ungethele izithelo ezingenamsebenzi, nomuthi obolile ungethele izithelo ezinhle. Khona-ke, ngempela labo bantu niyobazi ngezithelo zabo.”—Mathewu 7:16-18, 20.

Kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka, abaholi benkolo bebelokhu befaneleka kanjani, futhi bafaneleka kanjani manje, uma beqhathaniswa nesibonelo sobuKristu beqiniso esabekwa uJesu futhi salandelwa abalandeli bakhe beqiniso? Ake sihlole izici ezimbili kuphela—ukuhileleka kwezombusazwe nendlela yokuphila.

UJesu wayengeyona inkosana yezwe. Wayephila ukuphila okuphansi kangangokuthi, njengoba avuma, wayengenayo ngisho nendawo “yokubeka ikhanda.” UMbuso wakhe ‘wawungeyona ingxenye yaleli zwe,’ futhi abafundi bakhe kwakufanele ‘bangabi ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje naye ayengeyona ingxenye yezwe.’ Kanjalo uJesu wenqaba ukuhileleka kwezombusazwe zosuku lwakhe.—Mathewu 8:20; Johane 6:15; 17:16; 18:36.

Nokho, akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi sekungamakhulu eminyaka izinhlangano zenkolo zinomkhuba wokuzibandakanya nababusi bezombusazwe ukuze zithole amandla nengcebo, nakuba lokhu kuye kwenza abantu abavamile bahlupheka? Akulona yini futhi iqiniso ukuthi abefundisi abaningi badla izambane likapondo, ngisho noma abantu abaningi okufanele ngabe bayabakhonza bedla imbuya ngothi?

Umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa, uJakobe, wathi: “Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ubungane nezwe bungubutha noNkulunkulu? Ngakho-ke, noma ubani ofuna ukuba umngane wezwe uzenza isitha sikaNkulunkulu.” (Jakobe 4:4) Kungani eba “isitha sikaNkulunkulu”? Eyoku-1 Johane 5:19 ithi: “Izwe lisemandleni omubi.”

Sikhuluma ngokuziphatha kuka-Alexander VI, esinye isazimlando sosuku lukaBorgia sabhala: “Indlela yakhe yokuphila yayingenasimilo. Wayengenakho ukuzisola noma ubuqotho, engenalukholo noma inkolo. Wayebuswa ukuhaha okunganeliseki, isifiso eseqile sokuvelela, isihluku esinonya, nesifiso esivuthayo sokuthuthukisa izingane zakhe eziningi.” Yebo, uBorgia wayengeyena ukuphela kombusi wesonto owenza ngale ndlela.

Ithini imiBhalo ngokuziphatha okunjalo? “Anazi yini ukuthi abantu abangalungile ngeke balizuze ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu?” kubuza umphostoli uPawulu. “Ningadukiswa. Izifebe, noma . . . iziphingi, . . . abantu abahahayo, . . . ngeke balizuze ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

Omunye wemigomo eyashiwo yombukiso wabakwaBorgia wamuva eRome ‘kwakuwukuqonda laba bantu ababalulekile ngokombono wesikhathi ababephila kuso, ukuqonda kodwa hhayi nakancane ukukhulula ecaleni noma ukulahla ngecala.’ Empeleni, kwashiyelwa ezihambelini ukuba zizenzele ezazo iziphetho. Wena uphethé ngaliphi?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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URodrigo Borgia, uPapa Alexander VI

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Uyise kaLucrezia Borgia wasebenzisa indodakazi yakhe ukuze aqinise umbuso wakhe

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UCesare Borgia wayezifunela udumo futhi ekhohlakele

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Ngenxa yokuthi uGirolamo Savonarola wayengavaleki umlomo, walengiswa washiswa