Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre
Encyclopedia
The Canonesses
Regular of the Holy Sepulchre are a Catholic female religious order
founded in the 14th century. They were the female branch of the ancient military Order
of that name, and they follow the Rule of St. Augustine
.
The traditional habit was black, and, when in church, over the tunic
the choir Sisters would wear a white, sleeveless, linen
rochet
, on the left side of which was embroidered
a red, double-barred Cross
. Where still used, a black veil is worn by the professed, and a white one by novice
s and lay sisters; the later category, however, was abolished among religious orders by order of the Holy See
in the 20th century.
of a canoness by St. Macarius
, Bishop of Jerusalem
. It was he who accompanied the Empress in her search for the True Cross
.
was founded in the province of Teruel
, by the Marquesa
, Doña
Gil de Rada. In 1306 the community was incorporated as part of the female branch of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
, a military Order
founded in Jerusalem. The Prior
General of the Knights confirmed their prioress as Religious Superior of the community. The Spanish
canonesses still live in their ancient monastery in Zaragoza
, built in the Mudéjar
style when they moved there later in the 14th century.
in 1622 by the Marquise
Claudine de Mouy, widow of Henri de Lorraine, the Count of Chaligny (1570-1600), was the catalyst for a great revival of the Order. New constitutions, drawn up by a Jesuit and approved by Pope Urban VIII
in 1631, bound the canonesses to the recitation of the Divine Office
, rigorous fasts, the use of the discipline, and a strict interpretation of the rule of poverty. Twelve was established as the minimum number of professed canonesses necessary for the canonical election of a prioress. All the monasteries of the Order in that country were swept away by the French Revolution
, and the canonesses have not returned.
. It was founded in 1634 as a daughter house of the Monastery of the Holy Sepulcher in Hasselt
. Mother Helena d'Enckevoert, Prioress of two houses in Maastricht
and Liège
, established the commmunity. A school for poor girls was also established at Sion, which remained in operation until the monastery was closed in 1798 by the armies of the First French Republic during their occupation of the Low Countries
.
Forty years later, two surviving canonesses of that community were able to re-acquire the monastery and resume monastic life there, along with two survivors of the other two communities. They then resumed their educational work, and the School of the Holy Sepulcher continues to operate today. The survivors were able to save a large part of the monastery archives, which remains a priceless source for the history of the Order and pre-Revolutionary Catholic life in Belgium.
In 1972, the canonesses acquired the grounds of the former Cistercian
Abbey of Herkenrode
, also in Belgium and also closed by French forces in 1798. They have built a new monastery and a retreat center there and are slowing renovating the surviving abbey buildings. The Church of the Risen Lord was built in 1982, and now serves the canonesses and their guests.
, 1622; died at Liège
, 1706), having been professed at Tongeren. In 1642, she left with four other women for Liège
, Belgium
, to establish a monastery there for Englishwomen
. By 1652, there was a sufficient number of professed canonesses that a canonical election could be held, in which she was elected prioress, in which capacity she ruled with rare prudence until her resignation in 1697. The community was able to provide an education for the daughters of Catholic families during Penal Times.
The school, opened under Dame Mary Christina Dennett, who was prioress from 1770 to 1781, proved so successful that, during the occupation of the Lowlands
by the French, the English canonesses had great difficulty in securing permission to leave the city.
After three months at their monastery in Maastricht
, they went to England (August, 1794), where they were sheltered by Lord Stourton (a member of an old Catholic aristocratic family) in Holme Hall, (Yorks), moved thence to Dean House (Wilts), and finally took possession of New Hall, near Chelmsford
(Essex). Here they opened a free school for the poor children of the neighborhood. Called the New Hall School, this institution still exists, now serving both boys and girls..
, Brazil
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, England
, Holland and Spain
. The majority of the communities have ceased to wear a traditional religious habit, but their identifying insignia
remains the double-barred Cross of the Order.
Canonesses
A canoness is a member of a religious community of women living a simple life. Many communities observe the monastic rule of Saint Augustine. The name corresponds to the male equivalent, a canon. The origin and rules are common to both...
Regular of the Holy Sepulchre are a Catholic female 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...
founded in the 14th century. They were the female branch of the ancient military Order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
of that name, and they follow the Rule of St. Augustine
Rule of St. Augustine
The Rule of St. Augustine is a religious rule employed by a large number of orders, including the Dominicans, Servites, Mercederians, and Augustinians.-Overview:...
.
The traditional habit was black, and, when in church, over the tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
the choir Sisters would wear a white, sleeveless, linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
rochet
Rochet
A rochet is a white vestment generally worn by a Roman Catholic or Anglican Bishop in choir dress. It is unknown in the Eastern Churches. The rochet is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower...
, on the left side of which was embroidered
Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
a red, double-barred Cross
Patriarchal cross
The Patriarchal cross is a variant of the Christian cross, the religious symbol of Christianity. Similar to the familiar Latin cross, the Patriarchal cross possesses a smaller crossbar placed above the main one, so that both crossbars are near the top. Sometimes the patriarchal cross has a short,...
. Where still used, a black veil is worn by the professed, and a white one by novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
s and lay sisters; the later category, however, was abolished among religious orders by order of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in the 20th century.
History
Concerning the foundation, there is a tradition connecting the way of life of the canonesses with St. James the Apostle, and depicting St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, as being given the religious habitReligious 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...
of a canoness by St. Macarius
Macarius of Jerusalem
Saint Macarius of Jerusalem was Bishop of Jerusalem from 312 to shortly before 335, according to Sozomen.St. Athanasius, in one of his orations against Arianism, refers to St. Macarius as an example of "the honest and simple style of apostolical men." The date 312 for Macarius's accession to the...
, Bishop of Jerusalem
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been Theophilos III...
. It was he who accompanied the Empress in her search for the True Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
.
Spain
The earliest historical date on record is 1300, the year in which the Monastery of the TransfigurationTransfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
was founded in the province of Teruel
Teruel (province)
Teruel is a province of Aragon, in the northeast of Spain. The capital is Teruel.It is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Castellón, Valencia , Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Zaragoza....
, by the Marquesa
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, Doña
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Gil de Rada. In 1306 the community was incorporated as part of the female branch of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
, a military Order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
founded in Jerusalem. The Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
General of the Knights confirmed their prioress as Religious Superior of the community. The Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
canonesses still live in their ancient monastery in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, built in the Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
style when they moved there later in the 14th century.
France
The foundation of a house at CharlevilleCharleville
Charleville can refer to:* Charleville, County Cork, a town in Ireland**Charleville railway station**Charleville GAA**Charleville * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia...
in 1622 by the Marquise
Marquise
A marquise is a French noblewoman ranking above a countess and below a duchess, and is usually the wife of a marquis. The British equivalent is a marchioness and the Spanish equivalent is a marquesa....
Claudine de Mouy, widow of Henri de Lorraine, the Count of Chaligny (1570-1600), was the catalyst for a great revival of the Order. New constitutions, drawn up by a Jesuit and approved by Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
in 1631, bound the canonesses to the recitation of the Divine Office
Liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
, rigorous fasts, the use of the discipline, and a strict interpretation of the rule of poverty. Twelve was established as the minimum number of professed canonesses necessary for the canonical election of a prioress. All the monasteries of the Order in that country were swept away by the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, and the canonesses have not returned.
Belgium
The only other monastery of the Order which has a direct ancient lineage is the Priory of Sion in BilzenBilzen
Bilzen is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006, Bilzen had a total population of 30,057...
. It was founded in 1634 as a daughter house of the Monastery of the Holy Sepulcher in Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
. Mother Helena d'Enckevoert, Prioress of two houses in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
and Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, established the commmunity. A school for poor girls was also established at Sion, which remained in operation until the monastery was closed in 1798 by the armies of the First French Republic during their occupation of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
.
Forty years later, two surviving canonesses of that community were able to re-acquire the monastery and resume monastic life there, along with two survivors of the other two communities. They then resumed their educational work, and the School of the Holy Sepulcher continues to operate today. The survivors were able to save a large part of the monastery archives, which remains a priceless source for the history of the Order and pre-Revolutionary Catholic life in Belgium.
In 1972, the canonesses acquired the grounds of the former Cistercian
Cistercian nuns
Cistercian nuns are female members of the Cistercian Order, a religious order belonging to the Roman Catholic branch of the Catholic Church.-History:...
Abbey of Herkenrode
Herkenrode Abbey
Herkenrode Abbey was a former monastery of Cistercian nuns located in Kuringen, part of the municipality of Hasselt, which lies in the province of Limburg, Belgium....
, also in Belgium and also closed by French forces in 1798. They have built a new monastery and a retreat center there and are slowing renovating the surviving abbey buildings. The Church of the Risen Lord was built in 1982, and now serves the canonesses and their guests.
England
Dame Susan Hawley was the foundress of the surviving English branch of the canonesses (born at New Brentford, MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, 1622; died at Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, 1706), having been professed at Tongeren. In 1642, she left with four other women for Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, to establish a monastery there for Englishwomen
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
. By 1652, there was a sufficient number of professed canonesses that a canonical election could be held, in which she was elected prioress, in which capacity she ruled with rare prudence until her resignation in 1697. The community was able to provide an education for the daughters of Catholic families during Penal Times.
The school, opened under Dame Mary Christina Dennett, who was prioress from 1770 to 1781, proved so successful that, during the occupation of the Lowlands
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
by the French, the English canonesses had great difficulty in securing permission to leave the city.
After three months at their monastery in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, they went to England (August, 1794), where they were sheltered by Lord Stourton (a member of an old Catholic aristocratic family) in Holme Hall, (Yorks), moved thence to Dean House (Wilts), and finally took possession of New Hall, near Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
(Essex). Here they opened a free school for the poor children of the neighborhood. Called the New Hall School, this institution still exists, now serving both boys and girls..
Today
Currently, in A.D. 2011, there are monasteries of the Order in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Holland and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The majority of the communities have ceased to wear a traditional religious habit, but their identifying insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
remains the double-barred Cross of the Order.
Sources
- Max Heimbucher, Orden und Kongregationen (Paderborn, 1908)
- Francesca M. Steele, Convents of Great Britain (St. Louis, 1902)
- Hippolyte Hélyot, T.O.R., Dict. des ordres relig. (Paris, 1859)
- Joseph GillowJoseph GillowJoseph Gillow was an English Roman Catholic antiquary and bio-bibliographer, "the Plutarch of the English Catholics"....
, Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath., s. v. Hawley, Susan.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia article
- Archives of the English canonesses
- The English Community of Canonesses Regular of the Holy Seplchre
- The Association of Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre
See also
- Canoness
- Canons Regular of the Holy SepulchreCanons Regular of the Holy SepulchreCanons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre, an order said to have been founded In 1114 on the rule of St Augustine....
- Order of the Holy SepulchreOrder of the Holy SepulchreThe Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
- Military orders