 For most people, the onset of death alleviated this problem but for Alvarus it remained problematic because he recovered from his illness unexpectedly.As a result of being a living penitent he could not participate in communion until he had proved he could lead a virtuous life.His unfriendly relations with the clergy who performed the sacrament meant that he had to write to the in-hiding Bishop Saul of Córdoba to request that he be readmitted, which Saul refused.