Communities of „pauperes catholici” and „pauperes reconciliati”

in the period of religious renovation, from the second half of XI century to

the first half of XIII century

Aliaksandra Valodzina

XIII century – the period of flowering of the lay people associations

• The groups of “Poveri catholici” and “Poveri reconciliati” were among hundreds of similar unions which emerged at that time everywhere in France and Italy.

• These groups were the parts of the waldensians movement, who decided to return to the fold of the Roman Catholic Church

The heresy is the response to the religious questions

Questions, topical for waldenses

Questions, topical for waldenses

Name’s origin

• Stress on “paupertas”

• Аssumption of image of “auditoris ydiotae” (1 Co 1:21-28)

• Allusion to first of the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3)

Pauperes reconciliati

• The group of waldenses, probably from Cremona, refers in 1210 to the Holy See asking them to forgive all the mistakes, and seeks to formalize their legal status as a new monastic order. Bernardus Primus and Guilelmo Arnaldo, at that time already well-known preachers, were sent in Rome. The Pope denied the establishment of a new order because of  scandalous rumors.

The reasons for the spread of heresy in southern France

• Everything that could serve as a weakening of the secular power of the priests, received support from their rivals - the barons and knights.

• The form of heretical expressions of piety did not put a woman on the lower level, in contrast to forms approved by the official church.

• Culture of open discussion.

Poveri catholici

• They were organized in 1207 during the dispute in Pamiers under the direction of clerk Durandus de Osca.

• Forwarded a similar petition to the Pope Innocent III.

• Despite religious fervor and availability of resource base them was denied the establishment of a new monastic order.

The main source – bulls of Innocent III

• These bulls were issued to the hierarchs of Northen Italy, Southern France and Northwest Spain.

• Contain information about Pope’s welcome, returning to the fold of the Church, “Confessio” with “Propositum Vitae” and order of assistance.

• “Confessio” of the both groups is the detailed version of Valdo’s “Confessio” and correspond to the formula used for bishops’ ordination

Bernardus’ group heretical views(by origin)

• The need to resist the Cathars (self-celebration of the Eucharist, preaching without a permission of the official church to preach to women, travel and accommodation with women-preacher).

• A literal understanding and execution of the Evangelical Covenant (the violence of denial vows to right temporal power bloodshed (что это?), indulgences, refusing to obey the "godless" person, Donatism, the rejection of tenure; imitation of clothing and footwear of monks).

• The failure of those orders in the Catholic Church who do not find evidence in the Bible (the recognition of the possibility of salvation outside the church, non-recognition of sanctity of the Roman Church).

Difference of “Propositum Vitae”

The disappearance of the groups

But despite their very high professional level and their devotion to the monk ascetic lifestyle combined with anti-heretic sermons, the Catholic church supported neither “Poveri catholici” nor “Poveri reconciliati” and they had scattered among other orders by the end of the 40-s of the XIII century.

Conclusions• The above-mentioned groups were a constituent part of the religious

renovation in Western Europe in the second half of the XI century – the first half of the XIII century.

• Their formation was triggered by the Gregorian reform on the one hand and by numerous heresies of that period on the other.

• The Durandus de Osca and Bernardus Primus groups were among hundreds of similar unions emerged at that time everywhere in France and Italy. They are particular due to the higher level of organization and due to the membership of both laity and priests.

• Their sermon-oriented statutes were an echo of the “lay sermon argument” on the one hand and the answer to the cathars threat on the other.

• And their intention to be poor was a reaction to the official church’s excessive luxury and an attempt to oppose to the higher social classes, to their system in general.

Poveri catolici: map of the dispersion