Obedientiaries
Encyclopedia
Obedientiaries, the plural of Obedienciary, from the Latin Obedientiarius, meaning someone in an 'obedient', i.e. subordinate, position, is a term commonly used in medieval times for the lesser officials of a monastery
who were appointed by will of the superior.
In some cases the word is used to include all those who held office beneath the abbot
, but more frequently the prior
and sub-prior -who technically qualify in an abbacy- are excluded from those signified by it.
the name "dean
" is given to the official who is called prior
in all other Benedictine houses.
(1) The "cantor" or "precentor
", usually assisted by a "sub-cantor", or "succentor".
(2) The sacrist, or sacristan, who had charge of the monastic church and of all things necessary for the services. He had, as a rule, several assistants:
(3) The cellarer, or bursar
, who acted as chief purveyor of all foodstuffs to the monastery and as general steward. In recent times the name procurator is often found used for this official. He had as assistants:
(4) The refectorian, who had charge of the frater or refectory and its furniture, including such things as crockery, cloths, dishes, spoons, forks etc.
(5) The kitchener, who presided over the cookery department, not only for the community but for all guests, dependants etc.
(6) The novice master whose assistant was sometimes called the "zelator".
(7) The infirmarian, besides looking after the sick brethren, was also responsible for the quarterly "blood letting" of the monks, a custom almost universal in medieval monasteries.
(8) The guest-master, whose duties are dealt with in chapter 53 of St. Benedict's Rule.
(9) The almoner
.
(10) The chamberlain
, or "vestiarius".
The chief of these was the hebdomadarian, or priest for the week. It was his duty to sing the conventual mass on all days during the week, to intone the Deus in adjutorium at the beginning of each of the canonical hours
, to bless holy water etc.
The antiphoner was also appointed for a week at a time. It was his duty to read or sing the invitatory at Matins
, to give out the first antiphon
at the Psalms
, and also the versicle
s, responsoria after the lessons etc.
The weekly reader and servers in the kitchen and refectory entered upon their duties on Sunday when, in company with the servers of the previous week, they had to ask and receive a special blessing in choir as directed in chapters xxxv and xxxviii of St. Benedict's Rule.
Nowadays the tendency is towards a simplification in the details of monastic life and consequently to a reduction in the number of officials in a monastery (in most cases inevitable due to less vocations), but all the more important offices named above still exist in major monasteries though the name obedientiaries has quite dropped out of everyday use.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
who were appointed by will of the superior.
In some cases the word is used to include all those who held office beneath the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
, but more frequently 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...
and sub-prior -who technically qualify in an abbacy- are excluded from those signified by it.
Functions
To the obedientiaries were assigned the various duties pertaining to their different offices and they possessed considerable power in their own departments. There was always a right of appeal to the abbot or equivalent superior, but in practice most details were settled by the "customary" of the monastery.Permanent functions
The list that follows gives the usual titles of the obedientiaries, but in some monasteries other names were used and other official positions may be found: thus, for example, to this day, in the great Swiss monastery of EinsiedelnEinsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
the name "dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
" is given to the official who is called 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...
in all other Benedictine houses.
(1) The "cantor" or "precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
", usually assisted by a "sub-cantor", or "succentor".
(2) The sacrist, or sacristan, who had charge of the monastic church and of all things necessary for the services. He had, as a rule, several assistants:
- the subsacrist, also known as the secretary, the "matricularius", or the master of work;
- the treasurerTreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
; - the "revestiarius".
(3) The cellarer, or bursar
Bursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
, who acted as chief purveyor of all foodstuffs to the monastery and as general steward. In recent times the name procurator is often found used for this official. He had as assistants:
- the subcellarer;
- the "granatorius". Chapter xxxi of St. Benedict's Rule tells "What kind of man the Cellarer ought to be"; in practice this position is the most responsible one after that of abbot or superior.
(4) The refectorian, who had charge of the frater or refectory and its furniture, including such things as crockery, cloths, dishes, spoons, forks etc.
(5) The kitchener, who presided over the cookery department, not only for the community but for all guests, dependants etc.
(6) The novice master whose assistant was sometimes called the "zelator".
(7) The infirmarian, besides looking after the sick brethren, was also responsible for the quarterly "blood letting" of the monks, a custom almost universal in medieval monasteries.
(8) The guest-master, whose duties are dealt with in chapter 53 of St. Benedict's Rule.
(9) The almoner
Almoner
An almoner is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing cash to the deserving poor.Historically, almoners were Christian religious functionaries whose duty was to distribute alms to the poor. Monasteries were required to spend one tenth of their income in charity to...
.
(10) The chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
, or "vestiarius".
Weekly duties
Besides these officials who were appointed more or less permanently, there were certain others appointed for a week at a time to carry out various duties. These positions were usually filled in turn by all below the rank of sub-prior, though very busy officials, e. g. the cellarer, might be excused.The chief of these was the hebdomadarian, or priest for the week. It was his duty to sing the conventual mass on all days during the week, to intone the Deus in adjutorium at the beginning of each of the canonical hours
Canonical hours
Canonical hours are divisions of time which serve as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. A Book of Hours contains such a set of prayers....
, to bless holy water etc.
The antiphoner was also appointed for a week at a time. It was his duty to read or sing the invitatory at Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
, to give out the first antiphon
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
at the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, and also the versicle
Versicle
A versicle is the first half of one of a set of preces, said or sung by an officiant or cantor and answered with a said or sung response by the congregation or choir...
s, responsoria after the lessons etc.
The weekly reader and servers in the kitchen and refectory entered upon their duties on Sunday when, in company with the servers of the previous week, they had to ask and receive a special blessing in choir as directed in chapters xxxv and xxxviii of St. Benedict's Rule.
Nowadays the tendency is towards a simplification in the details of monastic life and consequently to a reduction in the number of officials in a monastery (in most cases inevitable due to less vocations), but all the more important offices named above still exist in major monasteries though the name obedientiaries has quite dropped out of everyday use.