WHEN Elias had been absolved from office at the Whitsun Chapter of 1227 he was given employment by Hugolino, who had earlier that year been elevated to the Papacy as Gregory IX. The new Pope was eager to express his veneration for Francis, and was pleased to decide that a special church should be built in his honour. The important and enviable task of superintending the operations was entrusted to Elias. The project was enthusiastically supported by the people of Assisi. Already they looked upon Francis as a saint. A succession of miracles occurred at his resting-place; and had not many of them seen the wondrous sign of grace, the Stigmata, on his dead body? One citizen, Simon Puzarelli, gave a piece of land to be the site of the new edifice in March 1228, and another, Monaldus Leonardi, ceded an adjoining plot in July 1229 as this did not prove sufficient. Local labour was forthcoming for the construction. The whole work was performed under Papal auspices. Elias received the first gift of land on behalf of Gregory IX, and a month later the Pope informed all Christians in the bull Recolentes qualiter that Francis deserved to be glorified in this way. An indulgence of forty days was promised to those who contributed towards the expenses.