Christian pious associations whose members wear a cord, girdle, or cincture
The Confraternities of the Cord are pious associations in the Roman Catholic Church whose members wear a cord, girdle, or cincture in honour of a saint whom they wish to honour and to bear in mind some special grace or favour which they hope to obtain through the saint's intercession. [1][2]
In the early church, virgins wore a cincture as a sign purity and hence it has been considered a symbol of chastity as well as of mortification and humility.
The wearing of a cord or cincture in honour of a saint is of very ancient origin. The first mention of it is in the life of Saint Monica who in a vision received a belt from the Virgin Mary, who assured her that she would take under her special protection all those who wore it in her honour.
Confraternities had their beginnings in the early Middle Ages, and developed rapidly from the end of the twelfth century from the rise of the religious orders. The main object and duty of the confraternities were, above all, the practice of piety and works of charity. There are various confraternities of the Cord, whose members wear a cord as insignia just as members of other confraternities wear a scapular.[3] There are three archconfraternities and one confraternity the members of which wear a cord or cincture.[1] The main aims of the confraternities are to practise prayer, piety and works of charity.[4]
The oldest and most celebrated of these confraternities of the Cord is probably the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Consolation, also called the Archconfraternity of the Cincture of Saint Monica, Saint Augustine and Saint Nicholas of Tolentino.[3] The Augustinian friars propagated this particular devotion.
Archconfraternity of the Cord of Saint Francis
After his conversion, Francis of Assisi girded himself with a rough cord in the manner of the poor of his day,[5] and a white cord with three knots came subsequently to form part of the Franciscan habit. According to the Franciscan historian Luke Wadding, Saint Dominic received the cord from Saint Francis when they exchanged their girdles in a sign of friendship. From that day on, Dominic always wore it under his habit out of devotion to his fellow founder.[6][5]
In his bull Ex supernae dispositionis of 1585, Pope Sixtus V, a Franciscan,[6] erected the Archconfraternity of the Cord of Saint Francis in honor of Christ's passion, in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, enriching it with many indulgences, and conferred upon the minister general of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual the power of erecting confraternities of the cord of Saint Francis in the churches of his order and of aggregating them to the archconfraternity at Assisi. Pope Sixtus, in his bull Divinae caritatis, also granted new indulgences to the archconfraternity and empowered the Minister General of the Friars Minor to erect confraternities of the cord of Saint Francis in the churches of his own order, in those places where there were no conventuals. Pope Paul V, in his bulls Cum certas and Nuper archiconfraternitati revoked all spiritual favours hitherto conceded to the archconfraternity and enriched it with new and more ample indulgences. Both these bulls were confirmed by the brief of Pope Clement X, Dudum felicis in 1673.[1]
Pope Benedict XIII in his constitution Sacrosancti apostolatus of 1724, conceded to the minister general of the conventuals authority to erect confraternities of the cord of Saint Francis in churches not belonging to his own order in those places where there were no Franciscans.[1]
The Archconfraternity of the Cord of Saint Joseph was based at the Church of San Rocco.[7] Confraternities of the Cord of Saint Joseph must be aggregated to the archconfraternity in the Church of St. Roch at Rome in order to enjoy its spiritual favours and indulgences.[7]
The cure of an Augustinian nun at Antwerp in 1657 from a grievous illness, through the wearing of a cord in honour of Saint Joseph, gave rise to the pious practice of wearing it to obtain the grace of purity through his intercession. The devotion soon spread over many countries of Europe, and in the 19th century was revived in the Church of Saint Roch at Rome and in Saint Nicolas at Verona. Pope Pius IX, approved in 1859 a blessing of the cord of Saint Joseph.[8]
Universal Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena
The Universal Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena is an apostolate in which members commit to live "according to the Gospel of Christ with the example of Saint Philomena", spreading devotion to her, and encouraging youth to walk the Christian life.[9]
Members must have read Life of the Young Saint, wear at all times the Cord of Saint Philomena, pray daily the Little Crown of Saint Philomena, and receive Holy Communion on 10 January, 25 May, and the 10th, 11th or 13 August.[9] An indulgence is gained by members who wear the Cord of Saint Philomena on these days, granted that the usual conditions have been fulfilled, including receiving the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist, as well as praying for the Pope's intentions.[9] The Cord of Saint Philomena is made of cotton or wool threads of white and red, representing "faith and the purity of virginity".[10] Members of the Universal who wear the Cord of Saint Philomena will be "preserve[d], chaste and pure, safe from temptation" as it has "the virtue of healing sickness of body and spirit".[11]
The names of those enrolled at a Confraternity of Saint Philomena site must be forwarded to the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena, in order to be "recorded in the general registry of the Universal Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena".[9]
Confraternity of the Cord of Saint Thomas (Angelic Warfare Confraternity)
It is related in the life of Saint Thomas Aquinas that as a reward for his overcoming a temptation against purity, he was girded with a cord by angels and that in consequence, he was never again tempted against this virtue. This cord is still preserved in the church at Chieri, Italy. Soon after the saint's death many of the faithful began to wear a cord in honour of Saint Thomas, to obtain the grace of purity through his intercession.[12]
The first Confraternity of the Cord of Saint Thomas was erected at the Catholic University of Leuven by the Belgian Dominican friarFranciscus Deurweerders in 1649, and numbered among its members all the professors and students of the Faculty of Theology (which has Thomas Aquinas as patron saint) and many of the faithful. Thence it spread to Maastricht, Vienna, and many other cities of Europe. In the 17th century, societies were formed at different universities, the members of which wore a cord in honour of Saint Thomas.[12]
Pope Innocent X sanctioned this new confraternity by a brief dated 22 March 1652. The members are required to have their names enrolled, to wear a cord with fifteen knots or the medal of the confraternity, and to practice some particular devotion to Saint Thomas and Our Lady. One recites, daily, fifteen Hail Marys, in honor of the mysteries of the rosary. This last obligation does not bind under sin.[12] To be received into this confraternity, any Dominican priest can perform the ceremony. Any other priest can perform the ceremony with authorization of the director of the confraternity. The confraternity's indulgences and privileges are contained in the great bull of Pope Benedict XIII, Pretiosus of 1727, and in the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences.[13]
The encyclical Studiorum Ducem (1923) granted members of the Angeluc Milizia "the privilege of wearing instead of a cord a medal round the neck impressed on the obverse with a picture of St. Thomas and the angels surrounding him with a girdle and on the reverse a picture of Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary."[14]
The Rosary, also known as the Dominican Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or beads used to count the component prayers. When referring to the prayer, the word is usually capitalized ; when referring to the prayer beads as an object, it is written with a lower-case initial letter.
The Franciscans are a group of related mendicant religious orders of the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi, these orders include three independent orders for men, orders for nuns such as the Order of Saint Clare, and the Third Order of Saint Francis open to male and female members. They adhere to the teachings and spiritual disciplines of the founder and of his main associates and followers, such as Clare of Assisi, Anthony of Padua, and Elizabeth of Hungary. Several smaller Protestant Franciscan orders or other groups have been established since late 1800s as well, particularly in the Anglican and Lutheran traditions.
Philomena, also known as Saint Philomena or Philomena of Rome was a virgin martyr whose remains were discovered on May 24–25, 1802, in the Catacomb of Priscilla. Three tiles enclosing the tomb bore an inscription, Pax Tecum Filumena, that was taken to indicate that her name was Filumena, the English form of which is Philomena. Philomena is the patron saint of infants, babies, and youth, and is known as "The Wonderworker".
A scapular is a Western Christian garment suspended from the shoulders. There are two types of scapulars, the monastic and devotional scapular; both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular". As an object of popular piety, a scapular serves to remind wearers of their commitment to live a Christian life.
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual is a male religious fraternity in the Catholic Church and a branch of the Franciscan Order. Conventual Franciscan Friars are identified by the affix O.F.M. Conv. after their names. They are also known as Conventual Franciscans or Minorites.
A Catholic order liturgical rite is a variant of a Catholic liturgical rite distinct from the typical ones, such as the Roman Rite, but instead specific to a certain Catholic religious order.
Purgatorial societies are Roman Catholic Church associations or confraternities which aim to assist souls in purgatory reach heaven. The doctrine concerning purgatory, the condition of the poor souls after death, the communion of saints, and the satisfactory value of our good works form the basis of these associations.
The Roman Catholic Bona Mors Confraternity was founded 2 October 1648, in the Church of the Gesu, Rome, by Vincenzo Carafa, seventh General of the Society of Jesus. In 1729 it was raised to an archconfraternity by Benedict XIII. The object of the association is to prepare its members by a well-regulated life to die in peace with God.
The Confraternity of the Holy Rosary is a Roman Catholic Archconfraternity or spiritual association, under the care and guidance of the Dominican Order. The members of the confraternity strive to pray the entire Holy Rosary weekly.
An archconfraternity is a Catholic confraternity, empowered to aggregate or affiliate other confraternities of the same nature, and to impart to them its benefits and privileges.
Three Hail Marys are a traditional Roman Catholic devotional practice of reciting Hail Marys as a petition for purity and other virtues. Believers recommend that it be prayed after waking in the morning, and before going to bed. This devotion has been recommended by SS. Anthony of Padua, Alphonsus Liguori, John Bosco and Leonard of Port Maurice. Two saints, Mechtilde and Gertrude the Great, are said to have received revelations from the Blessed Virgin Mary regarding this practice.
La Chiesa di San Rocco is a Roman Catholic building that is part of the Parish of Saint Giacomo. The original conjoined building dates from 1499 and is located at 1 Largo San Rocco, Rome.
The Archconfraternity of the Most Precious Blood was founded by Francesco Albertini, canon of the Basilica di San Nicola in Carcere, Rome, in 1808.
Confraternities of penitents are Christian religious congregations, with statutes prescribing various penitential works; they are especially popular in the Catholic Church. Members of the confraternities of penitents practice mortification of the flesh through fasting, the use of the discipline, the wearing of a hair shirt, among other instruments of penance, etc.
Catholic Marian movements and societies have developed from the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary by members of the Catholic Church. These societies form part of the fabric of Mariology in the Catholic Church. Popular membership in Marian organizations grew significantly in the 20th century, as apparitions such as Our Lady of Fátima gave rise to societies with millions of members, and today many Marian societies exist around the world. This article reviews the major Marian movements and organizations.
The exact origins of both the rosary and scapular are subject to debate among scholars. Pious tradition maintains that both the rosary and the brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were given by the Virgin Mary to Dominic and Simon Stock respectively during the 13th century. Historical records document their growth during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. By the early 20th century, they had gained such a strong following among Catholics worldwide that Josef Hilgers, writing in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1914, stated: "Like the Rosary, the Brown scapular has become the badge of the devout Catholic."
The Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was established in Tours, France in 1876, by Archbishop Charles Colet; and raised to an Archconfraternity by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.
The Scapular of the Seven Sorrows of Mary is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular that dates back to the thirteenth century. It is worn by members of the Confraternity of the Seven Dolours of Mary, associated with the Servite Order.
The Scapular of Saint Michael is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular associated with Michael, the Archangel and originated prior to 1878. It was formerly the badge of the now defunct Archconfraternity of the Scapular of Saint Michael.
Our Lady of Consolation or Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in the Catholic Church.
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