Confraternities of the Cord
Encyclopedia
Confraternities of the Cord are pious associations of the faithful, the members of which wear a cord or cincture in honour of a saint, to keep in mind some special grace or favour which they hope to obtain through his intercession.
Christ himself commanded his Apostles to have their loins girded.
In the early Church virgins wore a cincture as a sign and emblem of purity, and hence it has always 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, and we find the first mention of it in the life of St. Monica.
In the Middle Ages cinctures were also worn by the faithful in honour of saints, though no confraternities were formally established, and the wearing of a cincture in honour of St. Michael was general throughout France.
Later on, ecclesiastical authority set apart special formulae for the blessing of cinctures in honour of the Most Precious Blood
, of Our Lady, of St. Francis of Paola, and St. Philomena. There are in the Church three archconfraternities and one confraternity the members of which wear a cord or cincture.
According to an old tradition, St. Monica in a vision received a black leather belt from the Blessed Virgin, who assured the holy widow that she would take under her special protection all those who wore it in her honour. St. Monica related this vision to St. Ambrose and St. Simplician
; both saints thereupon put on a leather belt, and St. Ambrose is said to have girded her son, St. Augustine
, with it at his baptism
. Later on, it was adopted by the Hermits of St. Augustine as a distinctive part of their habit
.
When, after the canonization of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, it came into general use among the faithful, Pope Eugene IV
in 1439 erected the Confraternity of the Cincture of St. Monica, St. Augustine, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine, in the Church of St. James at Bologna
.
In 1590 Thaddeus of Perugia, Prior
General of the Augustinian friar
s, united this confraternity and that of Our Lady of Consolation (founded in 1318 or, according to others, in 1495) into one confraternity, which union was confirmed by Pope Gregory XIII in his Bull
"Ad ea" (15 July, 1575). The same pope raised this confraternity to the rank of an archconfraternity and enriched it with many indulgence
s. He further ordered that all confraternities of the black leather belt should be aggregated to the archconfraternity at Bologna, in order to share its privileges and indulgence
s.
The principal feast of this confraternity is the Sunday within the octave
of the feast of St. Augustine (28 August). The members are obliged to wear a black leather belt, to recite daily thirteen Pater
s and Ave
s and the Salve Regina
, and to fast on the vigil
of the feast of St. Augustine. For the erection of and reception into this archconfraternity, special faculties must be had from the Prior General.
girded himself with a rough cord in the manner of the poor of his day, and a white cord with three knots came subsequently to form part of the Franciscan habit. According to the Franciscan
historian Luke Wadding
, O.F.M., St. Dominic received the cord from St. 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, his example being followed by many of the faithful.
In his Bull "Ex supernae dispositionis" (19 November, 1585), Pope Sixtus V erected the Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Francis in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi
, enriching it with many indulgences, and conferred upon the Minister General
of the Conventual friars the power of erecting confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his Order and of aggregating them to the archconfraternity at Assisi. The same pope, in his Bull "Divinae caritatis" (29 August, 1587), granted new indulgences to the archconfraternity and empowered the Minister General
of the Friars Minor to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his own Order, in those places where there were no Conventuals. Pope Paul V, in his Bull "Cum certas" (2 March, 1607), and "Nuper archiconfraternitati" (11 March, 1607) 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" (13 July, 1673).
Pope Benedict XIII
in his Constitution "Sacrosancti apostolatus" (30 September, 1724), conceded to the Minister General
of the Conventuals authority to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in churches not belonging to his own order in those places where there were no Franciscans. New privileges and indulgences were conceded to the archconfraternity by two decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences dated 22 March, 1879, and 26 May, 1883. Besides the ordinary requirements necessary for the gaining of all plenary and partial indulgences, the wearing of the cord and enrollment in the records of the archconfraternity are the only conditions imposed on the members.
The miraculous cure of an Augustinian nun
at Antwerp in 1657 from a grievous illness, through the wearing of a cord in honour of St. 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 at Rome
in the Church of St. Roch
and in that of St. Nicolas at Verona
, Italy
. Pope Pius IX, in a rescript dated 19 September, 1859, approved a special formula for the blessing of the Cord of St. Joseph, and in his Brief "Expositum nobis nuper" (14 March, 1862) enriched the confraternity with many indulgences.
In 1860 several new indulgences were granted to the confraternity erected in the church of St. Nicholas at Verona and by the Brief "Universi Dominici gregis", 23 September, 1862, the Confraternity of the Cord of St. Joseph was raised to an archconfraternity.
The members are obliged to wear a cord having seven knots, and are exhorted to recite daily seven Glorias in honour of St. Joseph. Confraternities of the Cord of St. Joseph must be aggregated to the archconfraternity in the Church of St. Roch at Rome in order to enjoy its spiritual favours and Indulgences.
, near Turin
, Italy. Soon after the saint's death many of the faithful began to wear a cord in honour of St. Thomas, to obtain the grace of purity through his intercession.
In the 17th century, societies were formed at different universities, the student members of which wore a cord in honour of St. Thomas, hoping through his intercession to be protected from the dangers to which youth is generally exposed.
The first Confraternity of the Cord of St. Thomas was erected at the Catholic University of Leuven
by the Belgian Dominican
friar Francis Deuwerders, 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.
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, and to recite daily fifteen Ave Maria
s in honour of St. Thomas. For the erection of and reception into this confraternity special faculties must be had from the Master General of the Dominicans. Its indulgences and privileges are contained in the great Bull of Pope Benedict XIII
, "Pretiosus" (26 April, 1727, sect. 9) and in the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences (8 May, 1844).
Antecedents
Among Asian peoples, and especially among the Jews, whose priests and prophets wore a cincture, the wearing of a belt or girdle dates back to very ancient times.Christ himself commanded his Apostles to have their loins girded.
In the early Church virgins wore a cincture as a sign and emblem of purity, and hence it has always 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, and we find the first mention of it in the life of St. Monica.
In the Middle Ages cinctures were also worn by the faithful in honour of saints, though no confraternities were formally established, and the wearing of a cincture in honour of St. Michael was general throughout France.
Later on, ecclesiastical authority set apart special formulae for the blessing of cinctures in honour of the Most Precious Blood
Most Precious Blood
Most Precious Blood is a metalcore band from New York City, formed from the ashes of the band Indecision. They blend the song structures of hardcore with heavy metal, and the band cites Sick of it All, Aphex Twin, The Sisters Of Mercy, and The Obsessed as influences, among others. They were signed...
, of Our Lady, of St. Francis of Paola, and St. Philomena. There are in the Church three archconfraternities and one confraternity the members of which wear a cord or cincture.
The Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Consolation
(This is also known as the "Archconfraternity of the Black Leather Belt of St. Monica, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentine".)According to an old tradition, St. Monica in a vision received a black leather belt from the Blessed Virgin, who assured the holy widow that she would take under her special protection all those who wore it in her honour. St. Monica related this vision to St. Ambrose and St. Simplician
Simplician
Simplician or Simplicianus was Archbishop of Milan from 397 to 400 . He is honoured as a Saint in the Catholic Church and his feast day is August 14.-Life:...
; both saints thereupon put on a leather belt, and St. Ambrose is said to have girded her son, St. Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
, with it at his baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. Later on, it was adopted by the Hermits of St. Augustine as a distinctive part of their 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...
.
When, after the canonization of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, it came into general use among the faithful, Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
in 1439 erected the Confraternity of the Cincture of St. Monica, St. Augustine, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine, in the Church of St. James at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
.
In 1590 Thaddeus of Perugia, 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 Augustinian friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s, united this confraternity and that of Our Lady of Consolation (founded in 1318 or, according to others, in 1495) into one confraternity, which union was confirmed by Pope Gregory XIII in his 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....
"Ad ea" (15 July, 1575). The same pope raised this confraternity to the rank of an archconfraternity and enriched it with many 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. He further ordered that all confraternities of the black leather belt should be aggregated to the archconfraternity at Bologna, in order to share its privileges and 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.
The principal feast of this confraternity is the Sunday within the octave
Octave (liturgical)
"Octave" has two senses in Christian liturgical usage. In the first sense, it is the eighth day after a feast, reckoning inclusively, and so always falls on the same day of the week as the feast itself. The word is derived from Latin octava , with dies understood...
of the feast of St. Augustine (28 August). The members are obliged to wear a black leather belt, to recite daily thirteen Pater
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
s and Ave
Hail Mary
The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...
s and the Salve Regina
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina", also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The Salve Regina is traditionally sung at Compline in the time from the Saturday before Trinity...
, and to fast on the vigil
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
of the feast of St. Augustine. For the erection of and reception into this archconfraternity, special faculties must be had from the Prior General.
Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Francis
After his conversion St. FrancisFrancis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
girded himself with a rough cord in the manner of the poor of his day, and a white cord with three knots came subsequently to form part of the Franciscan habit. According to the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
historian Luke Wadding
Luke Wadding
Luke Wadding was an Irish Franciscan friar and historian.-Life:Wadding was born in 16 October 1588 at Waterford to Walter Wadding of Waterford, a wealthy merchant, and his wife, Anastasia Lombard . Educated at the school of Mrs...
, O.F.M., St. Dominic received the cord from St. 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, his example being followed by many of the faithful.
In his Bull "Ex supernae dispositionis" (19 November, 1585), Pope Sixtus V erected the Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Francis in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
, enriching it with many indulgences, and conferred upon the Minister General
Minister general
Minister General is the term used for the Superior General of the different branches of the Franciscan Order. It is a term exclusive to them, and comes directly from its founder, St. Francis of Assisi....
of the Conventual friars the power of erecting confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his Order and of aggregating them to the archconfraternity at Assisi. The same pope, in his Bull "Divinae caritatis" (29 August, 1587), granted new indulgences to the archconfraternity and empowered the Minister General
Minister general
Minister General is the term used for the Superior General of the different branches of the Franciscan Order. It is a term exclusive to them, and comes directly from its founder, St. Francis of Assisi....
of the Friars Minor to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in the churches of his own Order, in those places where there were no Conventuals. Pope Paul V, in his Bull "Cum certas" (2 March, 1607), and "Nuper archiconfraternitati" (11 March, 1607) 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
Brief
Brief or briefs may refer to:* A firefox extension for RSS* A letter* A papal letter less formal than a bull, sealed with the pope's signet ring or stamped with the device borne on this ring...
of Pope Clement X, "Dudum felicis" (13 July, 1673).
Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
in his Constitution "Sacrosancti apostolatus" (30 September, 1724), conceded to the Minister General
Minister general
Minister General is the term used for the Superior General of the different branches of the Franciscan Order. It is a term exclusive to them, and comes directly from its founder, St. Francis of Assisi....
of the Conventuals authority to erect confraternities of the Cord of St. Francis in churches not belonging to his own order in those places where there were no Franciscans. New privileges and indulgences were conceded to the archconfraternity by two decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences dated 22 March, 1879, and 26 May, 1883. Besides the ordinary requirements necessary for the gaining of all plenary and partial indulgences, the wearing of the cord and enrollment in the records of the archconfraternity are the only conditions imposed on the members.
Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Joseph
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
at Antwerp in 1657 from a grievous illness, through the wearing of a cord in honour of St. 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 at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in the Church of St. Roch
St. Roch
St. Roch is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police schooner, the first ship to completely circumnavigate North America, and the second sailing vessel to complete a voyage through the Northwest Passage...
and in that of St. Nicolas at Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Pope Pius IX, in a rescript dated 19 September, 1859, approved a special formula for the blessing of the Cord of St. Joseph, and in his Brief "Expositum nobis nuper" (14 March, 1862) enriched the confraternity with many indulgences.
In 1860 several new indulgences were granted to the confraternity erected in the church of St. Nicholas at Verona and by the Brief "Universi Dominici gregis", 23 September, 1862, the Confraternity of the Cord of St. Joseph was raised to an archconfraternity.
The members are obliged to wear a cord having seven knots, and are exhorted to recite daily seven Glorias in honour of St. Joseph. Confraternities of the Cord of St. Joseph must be aggregated to the archconfraternity in the Church of St. Roch at Rome in order to enjoy its spiritual favours and Indulgences.
Confraternity of the Cord of St. Thomas
It is related in the life of St. 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 ChieriChieri
Chieri is a town and comune in the province of Turin, Piedmont , located about 11 km southeast of Turin...
, near Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy. Soon after the saint's death many of the faithful began to wear a cord in honour of St. Thomas, to obtain the grace of purity through his intercession.
In the 17th century, societies were formed at different universities, the student members of which wore a cord in honour of St. Thomas, hoping through his intercession to be protected from the dangers to which youth is generally exposed.
The first Confraternity of the Cord of St. Thomas was erected at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
by the Belgian Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friar Francis Deuwerders, and numbered among its members all the professors and students of the faculty of Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
(which has Thomas Aquinas as patron saint) and many of the faithful. Thence it spread to 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...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and many other cities of Europe.
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, and to recite daily fifteen Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria may refer to:*Ave Maria , the "Hail Mary", a traditional Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus-Music:...
s in honour of St. Thomas. For the erection of and reception into this confraternity special faculties must be had from the Master General of the Dominicans. Its indulgences and privileges are contained in the great Bull of Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
, "Pretiosus" (26 April, 1727, sect. 9) and in the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences (8 May, 1844).