Bridge-Building Brotherhood
Encyclopedia
A Bridge-Building Brotherhood is a religious association
whose purpose is building bridge
s. Bridge-Building Brotherhood
s reportedly existed during the 12th and 13th centuries. Not much is known about their origins.
s. It was regarded as a work of piety as much as of public utility. Even when no brotherhood or religious organization was involved, it was customary for a bishop
to grant indulgence
s to those who, by money or labor, contributed to the construction of a bridge. The register
of the Archbishop of York
, Walter de Gray
, shows examples of indulgences granted in the 13th century for the building of bridges. In many cases, these associations consisted of three branches-- knight
s, clergy
and artisan
s. The knights usually contributed most of the funds and were sometimes called donati, the clergy were usually monk
s who represented the church, and the artisans where the workers who actually built the bridges. Sisters are sometimes mentioned as belonging to the same association. In addition to the construction of bridges, the brotherhood often attended to the lodging
and entertainment
of travelers and the collection of alms
or quête.
the associations formed to build bridges were commonly religious order
s living under vows, this has been proved to be erroneous. The brotherhood
s in southern France seem rather to have been guild
s or confraternities
, or at most to have been organized similarly to a third order
, wearing a habit
with a distinctive badge, but not being bound by perpetual vows.
). Bénézet was a youth who, according to legend, was divinely inspired to build the bridge
across the Rhône
at Avignon
. The old bridge at Avignon, some arches of which still remain, dates from the end of the 12th century, and it is certain that St. Bénézet was a historical personage. The Fratres Pontifices were certainly very active, and if they did not construct the Avignon bridge they built others at Bonpas, Lourmarin
, Mallemort
and Mirabeau
. They also maintained hospices at the chief fords of the principal rivers, besides building bridges and looking after ferries. There are conflicting sources regarding the recognizance of the Fratres Pontifices by Pope Clement III
. One source states that the brotherhood was recognized by Clement III in 1189 (the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition), and other sources report that Clement III addressed a Papal Bull
to the Fratres Pontifices in 1191, but the authenticity of that Papal Bull is questioned (Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913). One famous French bridge not constructed by this brotherhood is the bridge over the Rhône at Pont-Saint-Esprit
, as attested to by many official documents still in existence and connected with that bridge.
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
whose purpose is building bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s. Bridge-Building Brotherhood
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
s reportedly existed during the 12th and 13th centuries. Not much is known about their origins.
A Work of Piety
Building bridges greatly helped travelers and in particular pilgrimPilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s. It was regarded as a work of piety as much as of public utility. Even when no brotherhood or religious organization was involved, it was customary for a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
to grant indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
s to those who, by money or labor, contributed to the construction of a bridge. The register
Registry
-Computing:* Windows Registry, a database of configuration settings in Microsoft Windows operating systems* Domain name registry, an organization that manages the registration of top-level internet domain names...
of the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, Walter de Gray
Walter de Gray
Walter de Gray was an English prelate and statesman who rose to be Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor.-Life:Gray was the son of John de Gray the Elder of Eaton in Norfolk and nephew of John de Gray , Bishop of Norwich. His sister, Hawise, married the Justiciar of England, Philip Basset...
, shows examples of indulgences granted in the 13th century for the building of bridges. In many cases, these associations consisted of three branches-- knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s, clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s. The knights usually contributed most of the funds and were sometimes called donati, the clergy were usually monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s who represented the church, and the artisans where the workers who actually built the bridges. Sisters are sometimes mentioned as belonging to the same association. In addition to the construction of bridges, the brotherhood often attended to the lodging
Lodging
Lodging is a type of residential accommodation. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, safety, shelter from cold temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions.Lodgings may be self catering in which case no...
and entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
of travelers and the collection of alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
or quête.
Southern France
While historically it has been assumed that in southern FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
the associations formed to build bridges were commonly religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s living under vows, this has been proved to be erroneous. The brotherhood
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
s in southern France seem rather to have been guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
s or confraternities
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
, or at most to have been organized similarly to a third order
Third order
The term Third Order designates persons who live according to the Third Rule of a Roman Catholic religious order, an Anglican religious order, or a Lutheran religious order. Their members, known as Tertiaries, are generally lay members of religious orders, i.e...
, wearing a habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
with a distinctive badge, but not being bound by perpetual vows.
Fratres Pontifices
The brotherhood Fratres Pontifices ("Bridgebuilding Brotherhood" in English), or Frères Pontifes, is said to have been founded in the latter part of the 12th century by St. Bénézet (a Provençal variant of the name BenedictBenedict
Benedict is a masculine given name. It comes from the Latin benedictus, meaning "blessed".Benedict most commonly refers to Saint Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Order of Saint Benedict and thereby of Western Monasticism...
). Bénézet was a youth who, according to legend, was divinely inspired to build the bridge
Pont Saint-Bénezet
The Pont Saint-Bénezet , also known as the Pont d'Avignon , is a famous medieval bridge in the town of Avignon, in southern France.The bridge originally spanned the Rhône River between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon on the left bank...
across the Rhône
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
. The old bridge at Avignon, some arches of which still remain, dates from the end of the 12th century, and it is certain that St. Bénézet was a historical personage. The Fratres Pontifices were certainly very active, and if they did not construct the Avignon bridge they built others at Bonpas, Lourmarin
Lourmarin
Lourmarin is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois.-Geography:...
, Mallemort
Mallemort
Mallemort is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.Mallemort is a quiet town located on the river Durance, south of the Luberon mountain range. The town itself is off the Autoroute du Soleil , within easy reach of Arles, Saint-Rémy, and...
and Mirabeau
Mirabeau
Mirabeau can refer to:People* Victor de Riqueti, marquis de Mirabeau, a French physiocrat and economist.* Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, renowned orator, a figure in the French Revolution and son of Victor....
. They also maintained hospices at the chief fords of the principal rivers, besides building bridges and looking after ferries. There are conflicting sources regarding the recognizance of the Fratres Pontifices by Pope Clement III
Pope Clement III
Pope Clement III , born Paulino Scolari, was elected Pope on December 19, 1187 and reigned until his death.-Cardinal:...
. One source states that the brotherhood was recognized by Clement III in 1189 (the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition), and other sources report that Clement III addressed a Papal Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
to the Fratres Pontifices in 1191, but the authenticity of that Papal Bull is questioned (Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913). One famous French bridge not constructed by this brotherhood is the bridge over the Rhône at Pont-Saint-Esprit
Pont-Saint-Esprit
Pont-Saint-Esprit is a commune in the Gard département in southern France. It is situated on the Rhône River and is the site of a historical crossing, hence its name...
, as attested to by many official documents still in existence and connected with that bridge.