Second Order (religious)
Encyclopedia
When referring to Roman Catholic religious order
s, the term Second Order refers to those Orders of cloistered nun
s which are a part of the mendicant Orders
that developed in the Middle Ages
.
of Osma in Spain. He accompanied his bishop
on a trip to Denmark
to arrange a marriage between the son of the King of Castile and a member of the Danish
royal family. On the return trip, Dominic encountered the followers of the Duke
of Albi in southern France. The Duke was a leading Cathar
, which embraced a gnostic form of Christianity. Dominic undertook a preaching campaign to them, in order to bring them back to an orthodox
understanding of the faith.
Several women who responded to his preaching sought a completely new direction in their lives. In response to this, Dominic established a house for them in 1206, where they could lead lives of prayer and penance
. When he came to found his Order of men, which was to become the Dominican friars in 1214, the women were established as nuns and a full part of the Order. As women, however, they not free to go about and preach, as were the men.
began his life of preaching and penance in the Tuscan
region of Italy
around this same time. His preaching drew a noble young woman of the city, the Lady Clare to be inspired to be a part of his way of life. When Clare sneaked out of her family's palace at night to join Francis on the night of Palm Sunday
1211, after receiving her commitment and giving her a form of the Franciscan habit
, Francis then entrusted Clare to the care of a nearby Benedictine nuns for her training. The Order that emerged from her commitment, originally called the "Poor Ladies of Assisi" and now known as the Poor Clares, again took a form of monastic life.
, Servites and Minims
, they were accompanied by female branches which followed a monastic way of life. Groups of the laity were also incorporated into the movements. These later groups came to be called Third Order
s. By comparison, the monastic women's Orders came to be called the "Second" Orders.
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...
s, the term Second Order refers to those Orders of cloistered nun
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...
s which are a part of the mendicant Orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
that developed in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
St. Dominic
In early 13th century, St. Dominic Guzman was a canon regular at the CathedralCathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Osma in Spain. He accompanied his 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...
on a trip to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
to arrange a marriage between the son of the King of Castile and a member of the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
royal family. On the return trip, Dominic encountered the followers of the Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Albi in southern France. The Duke was a leading Cathar
Cathar
Catharism was a name given to a Christian religious sect with dualistic and gnostic elements that appeared in the Languedoc region of France and other parts of Europe in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries...
, which embraced a gnostic form of Christianity. Dominic undertook a preaching campaign to them, in order to bring them back to an orthodox
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
understanding of the faith.
Several women who responded to his preaching sought a completely new direction in their lives. In response to this, Dominic established a house for them in 1206, where they could lead lives of prayer and penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
. When he came to found his Order of men, which was to become the Dominican friars in 1214, the women were established as nuns and a full part of the Order. As women, however, they not free to go about and preach, as were the men.
St. Francis
St. Francis of AssisiFrancis 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...
began his life of preaching and penance in the Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
region of 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...
around this same time. His preaching drew a noble young woman of the city, the Lady Clare to be inspired to be a part of his way of life. When Clare sneaked out of her family's palace at night to join Francis on the night of Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
1211, after receiving her commitment and giving her a form of the Franciscan 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...
, Francis then entrusted Clare to the care of a nearby Benedictine nuns for her training. The Order that emerged from her commitment, originally called the "Poor Ladies of Assisi" and now known as the Poor Clares, again took a form of monastic life.
Later groups
As the various other groups of mendicant friars came into being, such as the CarmelitesCarmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
, Servites and Minims
Minim (religious order)
The Minims are members of a Roman Catholic religious order of friars founded by Saint Francis of Paola in fifteenth-century Italy...
, they were accompanied by female branches which followed a monastic way of life. Groups of the laity were also incorporated into the movements. These later groups came to be called 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...
s. By comparison, the monastic women's Orders came to be called the "Second" Orders.
See also
- Dominican OrderDominican OrderThe 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...
- Poor Clares
- Discalced CarmelitesDiscalced CarmelitesThe Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
- Augustinian nunsAugustinian nunsAugustinian nuns are the most ancient and continuous segment of the Roman Catholic Augustinian religious order under the canons of contemporary historical method. The Augustinian nuns, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , are several Roman Catholic enclosed monastic orders of women living...
- Servites
- MinimsMinim (religious order)The Minims are members of a Roman Catholic religious order of friars founded by Saint Francis of Paola in fifteenth-century Italy...
- Mendicant OrdersMendicant OrdersThe mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...