Crutched Friars
Encyclopedia
The Crutched Friars or Crossed Friars were a Roman Catholic religious order
of Augustinian
canon
s who went to England
in the 13th century from Italy
, where they existed for some time, and where they were called Fratres Cruciferi.
of the Diocese of Rochester
in 1244, when they presented documents from the pope
and asked to be allowed to settle in the country. Each friar carried in his hand a wooden staff surmounted by a cross
and also had a cross of red cloth upon his habit, from which circumstances originated the name by which they became commonly known.
They observed the Rule of St. Augustine
and their habit
was originally brown or black, but later on changed to blue by Pope Pius II
. They established eight or nine houses in England, the first being at either Colchester
(according to Dugdale
), or at Reigate
(according to Reyner), founded in 1245. They settled in London
in 1249, where they gave their name to the locality, near Tower Hill
, still called Crutched Friars. Other houses were at Oxford
(1348), York
, Great Welnetham (Suffolk
), Barham
(a cell to Gt. Weltham), Wotten-under-Edge (Gloucestershire
), Brackley
(Northants) and Kildale
(Yorkshire
).
, and to have been reconstituted by St. Cyriacus, Patriarch of Jerusalem
, in the fourth. It is not known when they came to Italy, but they were certainly there in the 12th century, for in 1169 Pope Alexander III
gave them constitutions and a rule of life similar to that of the Augustinians. Pope Pius II
prescribed for them a blue habit and substituted a small silver cross for the larger wooden one they had hitherto been accustomed to carry in their hands. It was from this custom that they obtained their name.
Their monasteries were at one time numerous in Italy, numbering two hundred and eight, divided into five ecclesiastical province
s: Bologna, Venice
, Rome
, Milan
and Naples
. The priory of S. Maria di Morella at Bologna
was made chief house of the order by Pope Clement IV
, and it was from there that the English Crutched Friars came.
In later times corruptions were allowed to creep in, and from that and other causes their numbers dwindled down to no more than fifty houses in 1656, when the order was suppressed by Pope Alexander VII
.
.
Like other religious orders, the Crosiers have known periods of growth and vitality and periods of decline in their eight-hundred-year history, and will point to the 15th century and 17th century as their times of greatest energy and growth. Their most difficult years came in the wake of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era, however, when nearly all their monasteries were closed and their members banished from them. They did not, however, become extinct, as some sources claim. In 1840, there remained only four elderly members, living in the monasteries at Uden and near Cuijk, both in the Netherlands. In that year, the Dutch king, Willem II, repealed his father's law forbidding religious orders in his kingdom to receive novices. The Order slowly recovered over the next decades and, in the early 20th century, began to spread outward from its small European base in the Netherlands and Belgium to the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Congo. Crosiers still live and work in all these places and today number about five hundred members.
Other Fratres Cruciferi were also to be found in Bohemia
in the 13th century and some said to have existed in Ireland, but there is practically no reliable information to be obtained about them.
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
of Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
s who went to 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...
in the 13th century from 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...
, where they existed for some time, and where they were called Fratres Cruciferi.
History
Their first appearance in England was at a synodSynod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Diocese of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
in 1244, when they presented documents from the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and asked to be allowed to settle in the country. Each friar carried in his hand a wooden staff surmounted by a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
and also had a cross of red cloth upon his habit, from which circumstances originated the name by which they became commonly known.
They observed the Rule of St. Augustine
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
and 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...
was originally brown or black, but later on changed to blue by Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
. They established eight or nine houses in England, the first being at either Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
(according to Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
), or at Reigate
Reigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
(according to Reyner), founded in 1245. They settled in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1249, where they gave their name to the locality, near Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
, still called Crutched Friars. Other houses were at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(1348), York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, Great Welnetham (Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
), Barham
Barham, New South Wales
Barham is a town in the western Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located 823 kilometres south west of the state capital, Sydney and 303 kilometres north west of Melbourne. Situated on the banks of the Murray River across from Koondrook in the neighbouring state of...
(a cell to Gt. Weltham), Wotten-under-Edge (Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
), Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
(Northants) and Kildale
Kildale
Kildale is a village and civil parish in Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately 3 miles south-east of Great Ayton, in the North Yorkshire Moors on the Cleveland Way National Trail....
(Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
).
Fratres Cruciferi
The origin of these friars is somewhat uncertain. They claimed to have been founded in the East, in the 1st century, by St. CletusPope Anacletus
Pope Saint Anacletus , also called Pope Cletus, was the third Roman Pope Pope Saint Anacletus (very rarely written as Anencletus), also called Pope Cletus, was the third Roman Pope Pope Saint Anacletus (very rarely written as Anencletus), also called Pope Cletus, was the third Roman Pope (after St....
, and to have been reconstituted by St. Cyriacus, Patriarch 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...
, in the fourth. It is not known when they came to Italy, but they were certainly there in the 12th century, for in 1169 Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
gave them constitutions and a rule of life similar to that of the Augustinians. Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
prescribed for them a blue habit and substituted a small silver cross for the larger wooden one they had hitherto been accustomed to carry in their hands. It was from this custom that they obtained their name.
Their monasteries were at one time numerous in Italy, numbering two hundred and eight, divided into five ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
s: Bologna, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, 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...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. The priory of S. Maria di Morella 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,...
was made chief house of the order by Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV , born Gui Faucoi called in later life le Gros , was elected Pope February 5, 1265, in a conclave held at Perugia that took four months, while cardinals argued over whether to call in Charles of Anjou, the youngest brother of Louis IX of France...
, and it was from there that the English Crutched Friars came.
In later times corruptions were allowed to creep in, and from that and other causes their numbers dwindled down to no more than fifty houses in 1656, when the order was suppressed by Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
.
Counterparts in other countries
A still-existing order of fratres cruciferi, which literally means "cross wearers", had its mother house outside of the city of Huy in Belgium. Founded in the early 13th century, it spread into France, Germany, the Netherlands, and England during the next two centuries. Its founders are identified as five men who accompanied the prince-bishop of Liege, Rudolf von Zahringen, in 1189-1191 as part of the Third Crusade. Upon their return, the five sought a new way of life and were appointed canons of the cathedral by their bishop shortly before his death. In the years which followed they several times sought to reform and renew the life of the cathedral canons. Later they retired upriver to the city of Huy and to a place on a hillside outside the town known as Clairlieu. There they five formed a community and sought a more intense spiritual life. In either 1208 or 1210 Pope Innocent III approved their manner of life, directing them to live according to the Rule of St Augustine. Although they referred to themselves as the Brethren of Holy Cross, and their foundation was contemporary with the groups of Saint Francis and Saint Dominic, they were not friars. They were, and remain, a community of canons regular. As such, their members are for the most part priests, who live a common life, engage in the traditional daily round of liturgical prayer, and devote themselves to some form of active ministry. They also wear a religious habit which reflects their canonical origins, namely, a white soutane or tunic, a black pendant sash, a scapular with a red-and-white Maltese cross over the heart, and a black mozetta or elbow-length cape, which remains unbuttoned and open to reveal the cross. Modern descendants of these Brethren are known as Kruisheren, Kreuzherren, Croisiers, and CrosiersCanons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross
The Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross, commonly called Crosiers, are a Roman Catholic religious order.-History:According to their own tradition, the Crosiers were founded by five men attached to the household of the prince-bishop of Liege, Radulf von Zähringen, who accompanied the...
.
Like other religious orders, the Crosiers have known periods of growth and vitality and periods of decline in their eight-hundred-year history, and will point to the 15th century and 17th century as their times of greatest energy and growth. Their most difficult years came in the wake of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era, however, when nearly all their monasteries were closed and their members banished from them. They did not, however, become extinct, as some sources claim. In 1840, there remained only four elderly members, living in the monasteries at Uden and near Cuijk, both in the Netherlands. In that year, the Dutch king, Willem II, repealed his father's law forbidding religious orders in his kingdom to receive novices. The Order slowly recovered over the next decades and, in the early 20th century, began to spread outward from its small European base in the Netherlands and Belgium to the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Congo. Crosiers still live and work in all these places and today number about five hundred members.
Other Fratres Cruciferi were also to be found in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in the 13th century and some said to have existed in Ireland, but there is practically no reliable information to be obtained about them.