21/05/2024 08:30 - 10:45

HALL: LA PIRA - ROOM 3

Proponent: Caragnano M.M., Faccin M., Impagnatiello M.

Chair: Impagnatiello M.

Speaker: Alessandri A., Barresi F., Caragnano M.M., Faccin M.

The 13th and 14th centuries marked a significant turn in medieval Europe's ecclesiastical and cultural history with the emergence and spread of Mendicant Orders, such as the Franciscans and Dominicans. These Orders introduced a new perspective to the Catholic Church, making this a crucial period of change in the religious landscape. After their establishment and their institutionalisation, the Minors and Preachers brought significant innovation to the late-medieval Church in areas such as preaching, poverty, education, and inquisition. Moreover, they made relevant contributions to the development of new philosophical, theological, and ecclesiological perspectives, distinguishing themselves as new 'producers of culture' in medieval Europe and gaining popularity.
These topics have been extensively studied, but they require further investigation. Therefore, it is essential to focus not only on the institutional relationship between Mendicants and the Papacy and other existing Orders but also on the development of academic learning within these recently formed religious groups and the growth of female nunneries in Europe. The purpose of this panel is to explore wider implications for late medieval society by discussing key aspects related to the Dominican and Franciscan Orders.
Contributions are especially welcome from the following perspectives:
1. Ecclesiology;
2. Female religiosity;
3. Literary production