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Jesuit Order. Creation

Jesuits (Order of the Jesuits; official name "Society of Jesus" (lat. Societas Jesu) is a male monastic order of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1534 by Ignatius of Loyola and approved by Paul III in 1540. The Jesuits played a large role in the Counter-Reformation and were actively involved in science , education and missionary activity. Members of the Society of Jesus, along with the three traditional vows (poverty, obedience and chastity), also take a fourth - obedience to the Pope "in matters of missions." The motto of the order is the phrase "Ad majorem Dei gloriam" ("To the greater glory of God ").

Today the number of Jesuits is 19,216 people (2007 data), of which 13,491 are priests. There are about 4 thousand Jesuits in Asia, 3 thousand in the USA, and in total Jesuits work in 112 countries of the world, they serve in 1536 parishes. The Order allows many Jesuits to lead a secular lifestyle.

Geographically, the Order is divided into “provinces” (in some countries where there are many Jesuits, there are several provinces; and vice versa, some provinces unite several countries), “regions” dependent on one or another province, and “independent regions”. Jesuits living in the territory of the former USSR, with the exception of the Baltic countries, belong to the Independent Russian Region.
Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, the main Jesuit temple in Rome

Currently, the head (general) of the order is the Spaniard Adolfo Nicolas, who replaced Peter Hans Kolvenback. The main curia of the order is located in Rome, in a historically significant complex of buildings, and includes the famous Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

The basic principles of building the order: strict discipline, strict centralization, unquestioning obedience of juniors to elders, the absolute authority of the head - an elected general for life (the “black pope”), subordinate directly to the Pope. The system of morality developed by the Jesuits was called “adaptive” (accomodativa) by them, as it provided ample opportunity, depending on the circumstances, to arbitrarily interpret the basic religious and moral requirements.

To make their activities more successful, the order allows many Jesuits to lead a secular lifestyle, keeping their affiliation with the order secret. The broad privileges given by the papacy to the Jesuits (exemption from many religious regulations and prohibitions, responsibility only to the order's superiors, etc.) contributed to the creation of an extremely flexible and strong organization, which in a short time extended its activities to numerous countries. The word "Jesuit" acquired a figurative meaning.

In the Middle Ages, the Jesuits actively used casuistry, the system of probabilism, and also used various techniques to interpret things in a way favorable to themselves, in particular mental reservations, etc. Because of such morality in everyday language, the word “Jesuit” became synonymous with cunning, two-faced person. Many theses of Jesuit morality were condemned by Pope Innocent XI, Alexander VII and others. Pascal polemicized with the Jesuits in his Letters to a Provincial. Despite the fact that modern Jesuits do not stand out much in their philosophy compared to other Catholic orders, some critics believe that the Jesuits did not completely reject the morality accepted in the Middle Ages, which allowed for a very free interpretation of various things and events.

Jesuits- members of the Catholic monastic order (self-name - “Societas Jesu” (lat.) - “Society of Jesus”). The order was founded in Paris by a Spanish officer Ignatius of Loyola, with the aim of protecting and spreading the Roman Catholic Church and papal autocracy, approved by the pope on September 27 Paul III and endowed with extraordinary privileges

“Have I turned away from the teaching of the Word of God for fear of being ridiculed and called a Pharisee, Jesuit , a hypocrite, a hypocrite? from the manual for confession “Confessional” Gottschalk Roremund, Antwerp,

The purpose of creating the order

Officially, the goal of the Jesuit order was to teach people Catholicism, develop science and missionary work. The secret mission of the order was to spy on orders from the Popes and carry out research for the church.

The Jesuits developed their own system of morality, which they called “adaptive” (accomodativa). It provided ample opportunity to arbitrarily interpret the basic religious and moral requirements depending on the circumstances, and to commit any crime in the name of the “highest goal” - “the greater glory of God.” This service value of morality is reflected in the motto “the end justifies the means” attributed to the Jesuits.

The Order received broad privileges: the right to wear secular clothing, exemption from many religious regulations and prohibitions, responsibility only to the order's superiors, exemption from secular taxes, and from property obligations (payment of debts), if they are not recognized by the general of the order. After death Ignatius of Loyola(-) papa's bull Pius V(-) granted to the Jesuits all the privileges present, past and future, which belonged or will belong forever to all other mendicant orders.

Ideology

“One of the advantages of the Jesuits is that Jesus himself meets and introduces them to heaven.”(from the anniversary eulogy of the year “Imago primi saeculi Societatis Iesu. Lib. V, cap. 8”)

The program document of the order is Formula Institute, or laying down. She was approved and approved by the Pope Paul III and slightly changed Julius III.

The Code is written in a typical church style and the meaning of general phrases is difficult to understand for the modern reader.

The Jesuits did not call themselves "Jesuits" for a long time. In their official documents they referred to themselves figuratively: “those who live in obedience to the Society”, “members of the Society”, “any of our Society”, “regular clerics of the Society of Jesus”, “sons of St. Ignatius” and “fellow of Jesus”. During the first period of the order’s existence, they were also called “priests of St. Lucius", "Jesuis", "Scofiotti" (scouse makers), "Inigists", "Papists", "Apostles" (in honor of the Apostle of India Francis Xavier), "Theatines", "reformed priests". The claim to name the order Jesus At first it was disputed by many European theologians, who assigned this name to the entire Catholic Church. So the Parisian bishop Eustache du Bellay In 2010, he agreed to review the documents of the Jesuits for permission to live in Paris only on the condition that they would not be called “members of the Order of Jesus” or “Jesuits.”

“The name Jesuit does not come from us, and therefore we never use it - neither officially nor privately... We belong to the Fellowship of Jesus, we are the companions of Jesus... Although the word Jesuit has become commonplace, we nevertheless , we do not accept it, since it was not given to us either by Blessed Ignatius or by the Holy See; however, we do not reject it, for it is not in our power to stop or delay the impulse of public opinion.” Y. Negrone “Interpretations of General Rules”,

They received the contemptuous nickname “Jesuits” from the Protestants of Germany from the very beginning of their existence. It is assumed that this nickname in the negative sense of “hypocrite” and “Pharisee” existed before the founding of the Order. In the documents of the Council of Trent (–) they are already called “Jesuits” ( Jesuitae fovendi sunt, Generali Jesuitarum Ordinem, Religionem Jesuitarum).

The first official self-use of the word "Jesuit" occurred at the thirty-second General Congregation of the Society, which took place in the year.

Hierarchy

The Jesuit order is characterized by strict discipline, centralization, and unquestioning submission to the head of the order and the Pope.

Former heretics were not accepted into the order. Candidates for the order were called indifferents.

Order ranks:

  1. subjects(novices), undergoing a severe school of order discipline for two years
  2. scholastics, studying general sciences and theology for 5 years;
  3. coadjutors, taking ordinary monastic vows and falling into two categories:
    1. spiritual coadjutors, ordained and engaged in teaching youth, missionary work, confession, preaching, and
    2. secular coadjutors performing physical work for the order, cooks, servants, managers, they were recruited from among those who had passed the first stage, bypassing the second.
  4. The highest degree of Jesuits is professions, adding to the three ordinary monastic vows a fourth - unconditional obedience to the pope; They either engage in missionary work among pagans and heretics, or serve as confessors at the courts of ruling princes. Professionals are chosen from among themselves general of the order(“black pope”), who appoints professionals to other positions and oversees all sectors of the order’s activities.

The institutions of the society - residences, missions, colleges, houses of probationers (novitiates), houses of full members (professions) - constituted a “province” governed by “provincials”. From the “provinces” “assistances” were made up in the amount of large states (France, Italy, etc.).

The central body of the order was located in Rome. It included assistants, a general secretary, a prosecutor general in charge of finances, and administrator(secret controller under the general). The head of the order, a general, had unlimited legislative and administrative power, although theoretically he was under the control of society. He was irreplaceable. Not a single Jesuit became pope until the year he ascended the Roman episcopal throne under the name Francis I Argentine Jesuit cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

Education system

The Jesuit Order paid great attention to science and education, and the order developed an original education system. Its principles and methodology are set out in the special school charter “Ratio atque institutio studiorum Societatis Jesu”, approved by the head (general) of the order, Acquaviva. The goal of Jesuit education is preparation for blind service to the church, unquestioning submission to the authority of the Pope and the highest ranks of the Catholic Church. Jesuit schools were divided into lower - colleges (with a 7-year term of study) and higher - seminaries (with a 6-year term of study). The former, in terms of the volume and nature of the education they provided, were close to the gymnasiums that appeared during the Renaissance, and the latter - to the universities of that time.

Products of Jesuit education

“Will you admire the enterprise of one of our fathers? All of them are courageous people, generous lions, who will not be surprised by any danger and who treat risky enterprises with contempt. ... Fear and fright are unknown to these lions. ... Like the apostles, whose life and labors they try to imitate, they divide the entire Earth among themselves and jointly distribute victories and spoils. The Spirit of God animates these new Samsons.”(from the anniversary panegyric of 1640 “Imago primi saeculi Societatis Iesu. Lib. III”)
  • Fidel Alejandro Castro Rus (Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz listen), born August 13), Cuban revolutionary, President of the Socialist Republic of Cuba from before the beginning of the year

History of the order

“This is the order of Jesus himself, the Son of God, the order of which He is the real creator and which is called by His name: Jesus Christ its first founder; The Blessed Virgin is the second, and St. Ignatius is only the third.”(from the anniversary eulogy of the year “Imago primi saeculi Societatis Iesu. Lib. I, cap. 6”)

Generals of the Order

  • 1541–1556 St. Ignatius of Loyola
  • 1556–1565 Jacob Leinetz
  • 1565–1572 St. Francis Borgia
  • 1573–1580 Everard de Marcourt, from Luxembourg
  • 1581–1615 Claudius Acquaviva
  • 1615–1645 Mutius Vitelleci
  • 1646–1649 Vincento Caraffa
  • 1649–1651 Francis Piccolomini of Siena
  • 1652–1652 Alois Gottifredi
  • 1652–1664 Goshvin Nickel, from Germany
  • 1664–1681 John Paul Oliva, from Genoa, founder of the mission in Persia
  • 1682–1687 Charles de Noel, from Brussels
  • 1687–1705 Thyrsus Gonzales
  • 1706–1730 Michelangelo Tamburini
  • 1730–1750 Franz Retz, from Prague
  • 1751–1755 Ignazio Visconti
  • 1755–1757 Alois Centurioni
  • 1758–1773 Lorenzo Ricci

Forced break.

  • 1805–1820 Thaddeus Brzozowski, Pole
  • 1820–1829 Lodovico Fortis, Italian
  • 1829–1853 Jan Philip van Rootaan, Dutch
  • 1853–1884 John Peter Bekr, Belgian
  • 1853–1887 John Pieter Becks, Belgian
  • 1887–1892 Antonio Underlady, Irish
  • 1892–1906 Louis Martin
  • 1906–1914 Franz Werntz
  • 1915–1942 Vladimir Leduhovsky
  • 1946–1964 Jean B. Janssens
  • 1965–1981 Pedro Arrupe
  • 1983–2008 Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Basque
  • 2008–present Adolfo Nicolas Pachona, Spaniard
  • 2016–present Arturo Sosa Abascal, Venezuelan

Jesuits in Russia

The first Jesuit to arrive in Russia was Anthony Possevino, the papal ambassador to Ivan the Terrible. However, in general, attempts by the Jesuits to penetrate into Russia were suppressed by the authorities: by decree Peter I they were expelled from the country. The Jesuits resumed their activities under the Empress Catherine II on the Belarusian and Lithuanian lands that became part of Russia in – as a result of the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

When in the year the order was dissolved, Catherine II refused to recognize the papal order and allowed the Jesuits to maintain their organization and possessions on the territory of the Russian Empire. At the end of the 18th century, Russia became the only state where the Jesuits received the right to operate. In the year, despite the protests of the pope, a Jesuit novitiate (educational institution) was opened in Polotsk. In 1780 he was visited by Catherine II. In the year, on the initiative of the count 3.G. Chernysheva and the prince G.A. Potemkin and by decree of the empress Catherine II The Jesuits elected a vicar general - rector of the Polotsk College S. Chernevich. The Jesuits were ordered to obey the Archbishop of Mogilev.

In the year of the emperor Paul I entrusted the Jesuits with educational activities in the western provinces of Russia, placing them at the head of the Vilna Academy. Favorite Paul I became a Viennese Jesuit G. Gruber(from the year General of the Jesuit Order), who repeatedly talked with the emperor about the unification of churches. In the same year, the order was officially recognized, but already in this year they were expelled from St. Petersburg and Moscow, and their activities on the territory of the Russian Empire were prohibited. In the Russian Federation, the Russian branch of the Jesuit Order is registered - “Independent Russian Region of the Society of Jesus”.

News

  • On October 14, at the 36th General Congregation of the Jesuit Curia in Rome, a Venezuelan priest, professor at Georgetown University in the USA, was elected the new JS general Arturo Sosa Abascal(Fr Arturo Sosa Abascal, November 12, , Caracas), who replaced the retired 80-year-old Spaniard Adolfo Nicholas Pachon, who headed JS for a year. 215 Jesuits from all over the world took part in the elections.
  • On March 13, a new pope was elected in the Vatican - a Jesuit. Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jorge Mario Bergoglio, R. in Buenos Aires), former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who took the name Francis I. Before him, Jesuits had not been elected popes.
  • 27th October

Today, many people hear the word “Jesuit”; its meaning has long since acquired additional dimensions, denoting not only belonging to one of the most famous and still influential orders of the Catholic Church, but also a cunning and resourceful person who cannot be trusted. However, these “dogs of the Lord” themselves prompted this, creating an essentially unique system, extremely simple in its core, but acquiring a very ingenious and interesting form.

Jesuit, who is this? A little history

Like many, it has its own founder, who is currently canonized. The history of the Jesuits goes back more than one century, which began in the first half of the 15th century, when the Spanish knight-dreamer Ignatius of Loyola decided to radically change his life and devote his remaining years to issues of the church, religion, faith, and create a kind of army of spiritual knights. And if at the beginning of the journey almost no one knew what each Jesuit was, who he was, and what the goals of the entire order were, now it is impossible not to notice their trace in the history of all subsequent eras, not only for a professional historian or clergyman, but also for an amateur. to an amateur.

Origins of the order

The “dogs of the Lord” also have their own history. originated in 1534, when its founder Loyola, together with his faithful friends and spiritual knights, took vows of poverty, chastity and service for the glory of the Church, and three years later they took orders and became preachers, firmly deciding to follow the path of converting infidels and caring for them by believers . By 1539, the priests of this order (the future) were already in Rome, where they attracted everyone's attention with their ideas and faith in them, which was unique during the decline of the monasteries and the Catholic Church itself as a whole. Perhaps it was precisely the not-so-favorable position of the latter that prompted Pope Paul III to quickly give the green light to the official creation of the order, and subsequently to patronize in every possible way those who called themselves the Society of Jesus, but in reality became soldiers of Christ in every sense.

Personnel training

However, getting into the ranks of the Jesuits was easy, perhaps, only at the very beginning. Visionary churchmen quickly realized that information rules the world, and they spared no time in training their adherents. That is why they taught for at least 12 years: first, at least two years of novitiate or obedience. This was followed by the adoption of standard monastic vows: obedience, mendicancy and celibacy, another two years of learning languages ​​- Latin, ancient Greek (with mandatory reading of ancient authors - of course, in the original), a year of exact sciences (mathematics, physics). Next came philosophy, and only then for another 4 years the novices studied church history, theology, law, becoming coadjutors (clergy with the right to return to secular life). Only the zeal for study, diligence, natural abilities and successful final exams demonstrated throughout all stages made it possible to proudly declare that yesterday’s student of the college is now a Jesuit priest, with all the rights and responsibilities.

Last Vow

Now it was possible to take the fourth and final vow, which it was no longer possible to refuse until the end of one’s days - the vow of unquestioning submission to the pope and only to him. The Jesuits did not waste time on trifles and obeyed exclusively the charter of the order or directly to the pontiff. They did not recognize any other authority over themselves.

Prevalence and elimination

It took the Order just over a century to weave its networks both in the European states of that time, as well as in China, Japan, India, Paraguay, the Philippines, and did not forget to settle in Imperial Russia, which turned out to be very far-sighted. When in 1773 Pope Clement XIV was forced to make a strong-willed decision and ban the Society of Jesus everywhere with the bull Dominus ac Redemptor Noster, only Catherine II did not want to listen and allowed the Jesuits to continue their activities in the territory subject to the empress. The abolition of the order itself lasted four decades, during which they were included in the parish clergy. But already in 1814, the Jesuits regained their rights and regalia.

Charter and discipline

The Jesuit charter consisted of 9 points, the essence of which was that its participants, in addition to the obligatory monastic oaths, also took a vow of unquestioning obedience to the abbot of the society, as well as the head of the Catholic Church. Moreover, there was virtually no way to retreat - by becoming a Jesuit, a person lost the right to independently dispose of himself and was one of the links in a great system, which, however, worked flawlessly.

The order was also distinguished by very strict discipline and strict centralization, within the framework of which supreme power was in the hands of the general (from “general mentor”, not to be confused with the military), who was still unofficially considered the “black pope” and was elected for life.

Role in the educational process

One of the main tasks that the Jesuits set for themselves and successfully implemented was the numerous educational institutions created in almost all missions. Thus, it was the Jesuit college that prepared for itself educated and well-trained novices, whom many years of “drilling” turned into obedient dolls in the hands of the leadership. By the way, by the end of the 18th century, most of the higher and secondary educational institutions in Europe were under their constant control.

How to get away with it - learning from the Jesuits

But the Jesuits are remembered not only for their good intentions and educational activities, but also for their original theory, which allows one to be “justified” when committing any actions, even very, very sinful ones, it is enough just to believe that this was done in the name of another, good goal. You could also use a “mental slip” and make false promises. Therefore, it is not surprising that the question: “Jesuit - who is this?” - one could hear in response that this is a liar weaving a network of intrigues.

Today's day in the life of the order

Centuries have passed, Ignatius of Loyola has long been canonized and canonized, and the current Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) is precisely a representative of this order. In addition, there are about 17.7 thousand Jesuits in the world, who are still subject to strict discipline and hierarchy. Employees of the Catholic Church are trained in special colleges controlled by the Society of Jesus. However, only time changes, people remain the same. And now practically no one asks the question of who a Jesuit is, since everyone knows the answer.

This monastic the order was founded in 1534 V Paris Spanish nobleman Ignatius of Loyola and approved Paul III V . Members of the order known as "Jesuits" dating back to Protestant times Reformation were called "the foot soldiers of the Pope" in part because the order's founder, Ignatius of Loyola, was a soldier before becoming a monk and eventually a priest. The Jesuits were actively involved in science, education, upbringing of youth, and widely developed missionary activities. The motto of the order is the phrase “ Ad majorem Dei gloriam ", which is translated from Latin as "To the greater glory of God."

Today the number of Jesuits is 19,216 people (data 2007), of which 13,491 are priests. About 4 thousand Jesuits in Asia, 3 in USA, and in total Jesuits work in 112 countries of the world, they serve in 1,536 parishes. The Order allows many Jesuits to lead a secular lifestyle.

Geographically, the Order is divided into “provinces” (in some countries where there are many Jesuits, there are several provinces; and vice versa, some provinces unite several countries), “regions” dependent on one or another province, and “independent regions”. Jesuits living in the territory of the former USSR, excluding countries Baltic, belong to the Independent Russian Region.

Currently, the head (general) of the order is the Spaniard Adolfo Nicolas, who replaced Peter Hans Kolvenback. The main Curia of the order is located in Rome, in a historically significant complex of buildings, and includes the famous Church of the Holy Name of Jesus.

History of the order

Opposition to the Society of the Courts of the Great Catholic Monarchs of Europe (Spain, Portugal , France) forced dad Clement XIV abolish the order in 1773. The last general of the order was imprisoned in a Roman prison, where he died two years later.

Society in the 19th and 20th centuries

The abolition of the order lasted forty years. Colleges and missions were closed, various undertakings were stopped. The Jesuits were added to the parish clergy. However, for various reasons, the Society continued to exist in some countries: in China and in India, where several missions have been preserved, in Prussia and, above all, in Russia, Where Catherine II refused to publish the pope's decree.

Society was restored to 1814. Collegiums are experiencing a new flourishing. In conditions "industrial revolution" Intensified work is being carried out in the field of technical education. When at the end 19th century lay movements appear, the Jesuits take part in their leadership.

Intellectual activity continues, among other things, new periodicals are created. It is necessary, in particular, to note the French magazine “Etudes”, founded in the city. Ivan-Xavier Gagarin. Centers for social research are being created to study new social phenomena and influence them. The organization Action Populaire was created in the city in order to promote changes in social and international structures and help the working and peasant masses in their collective development. Many Jesuits are also involved in basic research in the natural sciences, which are experiencing their rise in XX century. Of these scientists, the most famous is paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

Jesuits also work in the world of mass communication. They work for Vatican radio from the time of its foundation to the present day (in particular, in the Russian section).

The Second World War became a transition period for the Society, as well as for the whole world. In the post-war period, new beginnings arise. The Jesuits are involved in creating a "work mission": priests work in the factory to share the conditions in which the workers live and make the Church present where there was none.

Theological research is developing. The French Jesuits study the theology of the Fathers of the Church and undertake the first scientific edition of the Greek and Latin patristic writings, which replaces the old edition of Father Minh: this is a collection of Christian Sources. Work on it continues today. Other theologians become famous due to Second Vatican Council: O. Karl Rahner in Germany, Fr. Bernard Lonergan, who taught at Toronto and Rome.

The ban on the activities of the Jesuits was in effect until fall of the monarchy in March 1917.

The Soviet government and its ideology treated the Jesuits extremely negatively, presenting them as some kind of immoral spy service of the Catholic Church. In particular, they attributed the principle “The end justifies the means” (in fact, the saying belongs to Niccolo Machiavelli).

Famous Jesuits

Received education in Jesuit schools Descartes , Corneille , Moliere , Lope de Vega , J. Joyce and many other prominent writers and scientists.

Jesuits in world literature

Jesuit anti-Semitism

According to the study of the philosopher and historian Hannah Arendt, it was the Jesuit influence that was responsible for the spread of anti-Semitism in Europe. For example, the Jesuit magazine Civiltà Cattolica, which was one of the most influential Catholic magazines, was at the same time “highly anti-Semitic.”

see also

Bibliography

  • Marek Inglot SJ The Society of Jesus in the Russian Empire (1772-1820) and its role in the widespread restoration of the Order throughout the world - Moscow: Institute of Philosophy, Theology and History.
  • Michelle Leroy The Myth of the Jesuits: From Beranger to Michelet - Moscow: Languages ​​of Slavic Culture, 2001.
  • Heinrich Böhmer History of the Jesuit Order - Collection AST Publishing House, 2007
  • Gabriel Monod On the History of the Society of Jesus - Collection Jesuit Order Fact and Fiction AST Publishing House, 2007

Notes

Links

  • Jesuits in Russia Official website