medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Anders Fröjmark wrote:
>
> In the discussion of the hierarchy between men and women in the
> religious orders, the Bridgettine Order (Ordo Sanctissimi Salvatoris)
> in its original form (1370 with modifications of 1378) is an
> interesting case. The abbeys were independent and consisted of two
> communities, a principal community of women (since the order was
> founded "first and foremost for women") and, to ensure the spiritual
> needs of the nuns and communication between the individual abbeys of
> the order, an adjunct community of friars. The head of the entire
> abbey, including its property, was the abbess, but the confessor
> general of the friars was the director in spiritual matters.
> Furthermore, the abbeys were subject to the jurisdiction of the
> diocesan bishops.
Just a small correction: it doesn't seem to be correct to describe the
brothers as "friars". Although usually described as "monks" (they were
enclosed), they consisted of priests and a smaller number of lay brothers,
so "canons" would be more accurate. At Syon they followed the Sarum Use
(more or less - they were in the diocese of London) and I suppose their Rule
would have been vaguely Augustinian. Although I am basing my remarks on the
English house at Syon, they would seem to have wider applicability. (The
confessor-general was chosen from the priests by both the sisters and the
brothers, and he presided over the brothers.)
See: A.J. Collins (ed), The Bridgettine Breviary of Syon Abbey (Henry
Bradshaw Society Vol. 96, 1969).
John Briggs
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