medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
The church of Saint Nicholas, now used as the parish church, was not the
women's church, which has
been nearly entirely torn down, but was the church used by the men--at some
times as many as 12--
for their devotions. The monks were there to serve as connections with the
outside world and to
conduct mass and see to other spiritual needs. Sometimes there is reference
to Marcigny as a double
monastery because of the men's presence. In the records that I have seen,
things get a bit touchy at
times, with the prioress insisting that she has say over some element of
priory life. From the first, it
was intended to have 99 women; Hugh of Semur, then abbot of Cluny, set that
out in his original plan.
Also part of the plan was that each woman be older than 20 and be "noble."
I think Jean Richard has
published as much of the cartulary of Marcigny as still exists, if that is
of interest. The parish church
during the 11th century was that of Saint Nizier, torn down in the mid-19th
century and outside the
walls of the town.
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Christopher Crockett [log in to unmask]
Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:04:50 -0400
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] female priories
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: "Cormack, Margaret Jean" <[log in to unmask]>
>What is interesting about this one [Marcigny] is that it provides and [sic:
an] "excuse" for the (unusually large?) priory being a priory!
i have never heard what the actual size of the Cluniac priory of Marcigny
was
--probably quite large, but perhaps not as large as some of the male
priories
(St. Martin-des-Champs, La Charité-sur-Loire, Paray-le-Monial, etc.).
i don't know if the present early 12th c. church in the town
--which is good size but not as large as any of the above-- was the priory
church or not.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/29032297.jpg
in any event, it was certainly a prestigious house, catering to the most
aristocratic ladies in the land --Countess Adela of Blois/Chartres retired
there, as did the widow of one of the Viscounts of Chartres.
but, i've always assumed that it was "merely" a priory because *that* was
the
nature of the Cluniac system: only one abbot (at Cluny), with priors (or
prioresses) heading up all the daughter houses in the order.
this idea of the Virgin as "abbess" is a new one to me --which might very
well
be true, but certainly was not the reason why Marcigny (or any of the male
priories) was a "mere" priory.
c
> From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
culture on behalf of [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Mon 6/20/2011 12:14
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [M-R] female priories
>
>
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> The head of the priory of Marcigny (founded in 1054) was always referred
to
> as a prioress. The
> ostensible reason was that the abbess was the Virgin Mary, at least that
> was the reason given in some
> accounts. There were to be 99 women, and the hundredth, the Virgin, the
> abbess.
> Judith Rosenberg
>
>
>
> Original Message:
> -----------------
> From: Cormack, Margaret Jean [log in to unmask]
> Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:49:35 -0400
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [M-R] female priories
>
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Greetings all!
> Probably all list members are familiar with Chaucer's prioress, so we know
> such an office existed in
> female religious houses. My question is, however, whether there is a
> recognized terminology for a
> female priory, i.e. a religious house headed by a prioress rather than an
> abbess?
> Meg
>
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