Abbé

French abbé of the 18th century

Abbé (from Latin abbas, in turn from Greek ἀββᾶς, abbas, from Aramaic abba, a title of honour, literally meaning "the father, my father", emphatic state of abh, "father")[1] is the French word for abbot. It is the title for lower-ranking Catholic clergymen in France.[2]

A concordat between Pope Leo X and King Francis I of France (1516),[3] gave the kings of France the right to nominate 255 commendatory abbots (abbés commendataires) for almost all French abbeys, who received income from a monastery without needing to render service.[4]

From the mid-16th century, the title abbé has been used in France for all young clergymen with or without consecration.[2] Their clothes consisted of a black or dark violet robes with a small collar; they were tonsured.[4]

Since such abbés only rarely commanded an abbey, they often worked in upper-class families as tutors, spiritual directors, etc.;[2] some (such as Gabriel Bonnot de Mably) became writers.[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Harper, Douglas. "abbot". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  2. 1 2 3 A'Becket 1913.
  3. ↑ A'Becket 1913 cites  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Abbot". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. III under Kinds of Abbot
  4. 1 2 3  Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Abbé". Encyclopedia Americana.

References

  •  A'Becket, John J (1913). "Abbé". In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  •  "Abbé". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. 1907.
  •  "Abbé". Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.
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