Order of Carmel

See also: Carmel (homonymy)

Carmelite friars and catholic Carmelite nuns , religious orders contemplative.

The Carmes ( fitted ) live cloisters, observe silence and are delivered to the fast and the prayer. They wear a brown dress and a white cover with bars of brown color, from where the name of Barrés that one gave them too.

The Carmelite nuns , on the other hand, are a congregation of nuns which followed the rule of the Carmelite friars. This congregation, introduced in France as of 1452; was reformed by Therese d' Avila in 1562: the Cardinal of Bérulle and Barbe Acarie made adopt this reform in France. It is in a convent of Carmelite nuns of Paris (street of Hell) that withdrew Miss of Vallière.

Origin and development with the Middle Ages

As of at least the 12th century, men, taking as a starting point the prophet Élie live as hermits in the caves of the Mont Carmel. Albert Avogadro, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, gives them a rule of life towards 1209. This rule, made up of some major topics borrowed from the Bible, is centered on the Prière. One usually calls them in French the Grands Carmelite friars . The official name of this very old institute is that of Ordre of Notre Dame of the Mount-Carmel .

The reconquest of the Palestine by the Sarrasin S obliges the Christians come from Occident at the time of the Croisade S, to leave. Of return in Europe in 1238, they live more and more in the cities where they constitute small communities. In 1247, the order begging is organized by the pope Innocent IV

Women close to these communities of Brothers are attracted by their life of prayer. Thus for example, of the Béguinage S with the Netherlands give rise to Monastère S of Carmelite nuns in second half of the 15th century.

Jean Soreth, born close to Caen, superior about Carmel of 1451 with 1471, endeavoured to convince his/her Brothers to carry out a more rigorous religious life and worked with the transformation of some béguinages of the Netherlands into monasteries of Carmelite nuns. The movement thus launched was spread in Italy, Spain and France with the duchess of Brittany Francoise d' Amboise. This one marries the duke of Brittany at the 15 years age. Widow at 30 years, it founds a convent of Carmelite nuns close to Vannes with the assistance of Jean Soreth and takes the dress there.

The Reform thérésienne and its extension in Europe

In the context of the Protestant storm and Council of Thirty, two great figures marks in Spain the life of Carmel:

They renew in the order the direction of the prayer and poverty through humility and a hidden life.

Following the foundation of the first monastery of the reform, Holy Joseph with Avila in 1562, 16 female communities and 15 new male communities are born in the 20 years space.

This reform extends quickly in France where exist, in addition to the not reformed carmels (6) already present, 74 carmels female and 67 convents of Carmelite friars at the end of the 17th century. The Century of the lights is a time of spiritual bending for the religious life confronted with the handing-over in questions of the Rationalisme. The French revolution is the extreme result of this evolution: it removes the religious orders and is the occasion many massacres of their members, of which that of the Carmélites of Compiegne.

Rebirth of Carmel

It is done with difficulty during the 19th century. Dominique de Saint Joseph, Spanish driven out of his country by persecutions whose Church is the object, carries out in France the first reimplantation of the Carmelite friars in 1840, with the Broussey, close to Bordeaux. Other figures contribute to the restoration of Carmel: Spanish François Palau, the Polish officer Joseph Kalinowski, the German pianist Hermann Cohen. Therese de Lisieux and Elisabeth of Dijon renews her spiritual message.

In 1831, three Indian priests (Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805 in the State de Kérala - 1871), Thomas Porukara and Thomas Palakal) found in Mannanam the Congregation of the Serviteurs of Marie Immaculée of the Mount-Carmel , commonly called Carmes of Marie Immaculée , affiliated with the Carmes Déchaux in 1831. The P. Chavara, priest of the Church Syro-hefty fellow (plain in Rome) which was béatifié the February 8th 1986 by Jean-Paul II, also founded the female congregation of the Carmel of Marie in 1866. These 2 congregations were also established in Africa and Europe. In 1882, Meisseigneurs Joseph and Augustin Lémann found Carmel of Haïfa.

At the 20th century the Père Marie-Eugene founds the first secular Institute carmélitain.

Today

The tradition of Carmel includes/understands today, since the reform of the 16th century, four distinct branches:

  • Large Carmelite friars and fitted Carmelite nuns of the old observance (which did not adopt the reform), and which carried out recently their reimplantation in France with Nantes and with Angers.

  • the exposed Carmelite friars and Carmelite nuns , resulting from the reform of Therese d' Avila and Midsummer's Day of the Cross, which is with the number of approximately 4.000 brothers and 12.000 sisters out of the five continents. The laic ones also live within the communities carmélitaines.

The Carmel of Pontoise, founded in 1605, is oldest Carmel de France in activity.

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