The Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit
Encyclopedia
The Pauline Fathers a Hungarian order of the Roman Catholic Church
, are more formally known as The Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit .
This name is derived from the hermit
Saint Paul of Thebes
(died ca 345
), canonized in 491
by Pope Gelasius I
. After his death, a monastery taking him as its model was founded on Mount Sinai
and still exists today.
, who had united the scattered hermits of his diocese, and the other consisting of his own followers. In 1246 Blessed Eusebius, Canon
of the cathedral of Esztergom
, resigned his dignities, distributed his goods among the poor and withdrew to the solitude of the Pilis mountains, near Zante (probably related to present day Pilisszántó
) to lead a life of penance with a few companions. Four years later he is said to have been admonished in a vision to gather into community the other hermits living in the vicinity, for whom he built a monastery and church the ruins of which are near the village of Pilisszentlélek (today a part of Esztergom). In the same year he proposed and obtained affiliation with the Patach community under the rule prescribed by its founder, and was chosen superior. He received the approbation of Ladislaus, Bishop of Pécs, for the new congregation, but the publication of the decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council at this time necessitated a journey to Rome to secure the further sanction of the Holy See.
In 1263 a new rule was given the congregation by the Bishop of Pécs, which was superseded by still another drawn up by Andrew, Bishop of Eger, after the death of Eusebius (January 20, 1270), and this was followed until 1308, when the permission of the Holy See was obtained to adopt the Rule of St. Augustine
. The order was accorded many privileges by succeeding pontiffs, among others that of exemption
from episcopal jurisdiction, and provisions were made for the pursuit of higher studies in many of the monasteries, one papal regulation ordaining that no member could be raised to any dignity in the order without the degree of Doctor of Divinity
, for which a rigid examination was prescribed.
The order spread rapidly through Hungary, where alone it soon numbered 170 houses, and it attained an equal degree of prosperity in other countries, being divided into five flourishing provinces: Hungary (including Croatia
, especially Istria
), Germany, Poland, Sweden. In 1381 the body of St. Paul, the patron saint of the order, was transferred from Venice to the Monastery of St. Laurence in Hungary, which thereby gained greatly in prestige. Among the other famous houses of the congregation are the historical Polish monastery of Our Lady of Jasna Góra (Bright Mountain) in Częstochowa
, Poland
), with its Miraculous Icon of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa
(according to legend the work of St. Luke and discovered by St. Helena with the True Cross
), and the monasteries at Pozsony (now Bratislava
) and Wiener Neustadt
near Vienna. The church of San Stefano Rotondo at Rome was attached to the Hungarian College by Gregory XIII.
In 1783 a number of houses in Bohemia, Austria proper, Styria etc. were suppressed, and political disturbances in Hungary brought the same fate to most of the Hungarian monasteries, which had rendered incalculable services to religion and education. The destruction of the annals of these houses left the historical sources very meager. There remained a few houses of the order in Poland
.
At the beginning of the 20th century only two Pauline monasteries remained. One of them was the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów
- Bishop and Martyr connected to a monastery Na Skałce (On the Rock) in Kraków
, Poland
found by Jan Długosz, and regarded as a national sanctuary. The other was recalled earlier the Monastery of Our Lady
of Jasna Góra.
Among the members of the order to attain prominence were George Martinuzzi
, bishop of Nagyvárad (Oradea) and cardinal (murdered 16 December 1551), an important figure in the history of Hungary; Matthias Fuhrmann of Hernals (d. 1773), historian of Austria and editor of the Acts of St. Paul of Thebes; Fortunatus Dürich (1802) and Franz Faustin Prochaska (d. 1809), editors of a Czech translation of the Scriptures.
The habit
was originally brown, but about 1341 white was adopted, with a cincture
, and over the tunic
a scapular
with a hood. In choir a white mantle is worn by monks in Perpetual profession.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, are more formally known as The Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit .
This name is derived from the hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
Saint Paul of Thebes
Paul of Thebes
Paul of Thebes, commonly known as Saint Paul the First Hermit or St Paul the Anchorite is regarded as the first Christian hermit...
(died ca 345
345
Year 345 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Amantius and Albinus...
), canonized in 491
491
Year 491 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Olybrius without colleague...
by Pope Gelasius I
Pope Gelasius I
Pope Saint Gelasius I was pope from 492 until his death in 496. He was the third and last bishop of Rome of African origin in the Catholic Church. Gelasius was a prolific writer whose style placed him on the cusp between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages...
. After his death, a monastery taking him as its model was founded on Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
and still exists today.
History
Formed in 1250 by Blessed Eusebius of Esztergom (Özséb in Hungarian), of two communities, one founded at Patach in 1215 by Bishop Bartholomew of PécsPécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
, who had united the scattered hermits of his diocese, and the other consisting of his own followers. In 1246 Blessed Eusebius, 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 ....
of the cathedral of Esztergom
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
, resigned his dignities, distributed his goods among the poor and withdrew to the solitude of the Pilis mountains, near Zante (probably related to present day Pilisszántó
Pilisszántó
Pilisszántó is a village in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary. It has a population of 2,365 .-References:...
) to lead a life of penance with a few companions. Four years later he is said to have been admonished in a vision to gather into community the other hermits living in the vicinity, for whom he built a monastery and church the ruins of which are near the village of Pilisszentlélek (today a part of Esztergom). In the same year he proposed and obtained affiliation with the Patach community under the rule prescribed by its founder, and was chosen superior. He received the approbation of Ladislaus, Bishop of Pécs, for the new congregation, but the publication of the decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council at this time necessitated a journey to Rome to secure the further sanction of the Holy See.
In 1263 a new rule was given the congregation by the Bishop of Pécs, which was superseded by still another drawn up by Andrew, Bishop of Eger, after the death of Eusebius (January 20, 1270), and this was followed until 1308, when the permission of the Holy See was obtained to adopt 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 order was accorded many privileges by succeeding pontiffs, among others that of exemption
Exemption (church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, exemption is the whole or partial release of an ecclesiastical person, corporation, or institution from the authority of the ecclesiastical superior next higher in rank....
from episcopal jurisdiction, and provisions were made for the pursuit of higher studies in many of the monasteries, one papal regulation ordaining that no member could be raised to any dignity in the order without the degree of Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, for which a rigid examination was prescribed.
The order spread rapidly through Hungary, where alone it soon numbered 170 houses, and it attained an equal degree of prosperity in other countries, being divided into five flourishing provinces: Hungary (including Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, especially Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
), Germany, Poland, Sweden. In 1381 the body of St. Paul, the patron saint of the order, was transferred from Venice to the Monastery of St. Laurence in Hungary, which thereby gained greatly in prestige. Among the other famous houses of the congregation are the historical Polish monastery of Our Lady of Jasna Góra (Bright Mountain) in Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), with its Miraculous Icon of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa
Black Madonna of Czestochowa
The Black Madonna of Częstochowa is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland.-The icon:The origins of the icon and the date of its composition are still hotly contested among scholars...
(according to legend the work of St. Luke and discovered by St. Helena with 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...
), and the monasteries at Pozsony (now Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
) and Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt
-Main sights:* The Late-Romanesque Dom, consecrated in 1279 and cathedral from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to...
near Vienna. The church of San Stefano Rotondo at Rome was attached to the Hungarian College by Gregory XIII.
In 1783 a number of houses in Bohemia, Austria proper, Styria etc. were suppressed, and political disturbances in Hungary brought the same fate to most of the Hungarian monasteries, which had rendered incalculable services to religion and education. The destruction of the annals of these houses left the historical sources very meager. There remained a few houses of the order in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
At the beginning of the 20th century only two Pauline monasteries remained. One of them was the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold...
- Bishop and Martyr connected to a monastery Na Skałce (On the Rock) in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
found by Jan Długosz, and regarded as a national sanctuary. The other was recalled earlier the Monastery of Our Lady
Black Madonna of Czestochowa
The Black Madonna of Częstochowa is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland.-The icon:The origins of the icon and the date of its composition are still hotly contested among scholars...
of Jasna Góra.
Among the members of the order to attain prominence were George Martinuzzi
George Martinuzzi
George Martinuzzi was a Croatian nobleman, a monk, bishop of Oradea, archbishop of Esztergom, cardinal and Hungarian statesman.-Biography:Martinuzzi was born in Kamičac, Dalmatia...
, bishop of Nagyvárad (Oradea) and cardinal (murdered 16 December 1551), an important figure in the history of Hungary; Matthias Fuhrmann of Hernals (d. 1773), historian of Austria and editor of the Acts of St. Paul of Thebes; Fortunatus Dürich (1802) and Franz Faustin Prochaska (d. 1809), editors of a Czech translation of the Scriptures.
The 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, but about 1341 white was adopted, with a cincture
Cincture
The cincture is a liturgical vestment, worn encircling the body around or above the waist. The term has two distinct meanings, the usage generally dividing along denominational lines...
, and 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...
a scapular
Scapular
The term scapular as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian Sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as "scapular"....
with a hood. In choir a white mantle is worn by monks in Perpetual profession.