Bethlehemites, orBethlemites, is the name of fiveCatholic religious orders. Two of them were restored to existence in the 20th century. The other three are extinct.
This order was founded inBethlehem and managed a seminary there, until the Christian expulsion from theHoly Land. The order then moved to northern Italy, where it remained until it dissolved some time in the 16th century.
The author of an article in the 1907Catholic Encyclopedia says that, in hisGrande Chronique,Matthew Paris mentions thatHenry III of England authorized an order of Bethlehemites to open a house in a suburb ofCambridge in 1257; but he leaves us in complete ignorance as to their founder, where they originated, and their history. We only know that their habit was similar to that of theDominican order and that a red star, whose five rays emanated from an azure center (in reference toMatthew 2:1–11), decorated the breast of their cape. This was in commemoration of the star that appeared to theMagi and led them to Bethlehem. This order is not to be confused with themilitary order of theCrusaders of the Red Star (Ordo militaris crucigerorum cum rubea stella), who came fromPalestine toBohemia in 1217, whereBlessed Agnes of Bohemia confided two hospitals to their charge. They have since remained in that country where they devote themselves to the care of the sick, to education, and to the various works of the ecclesiastical ministry.[1]
The author states that nothing further is known of this order, which he describes as a military order. He thus fails to indicate if it was connected with theOrder of Our Lady of Bethlehem to which was entrusted in 1247, under the same king, theLondon hospital that later became known as Bedlam. This property had been donated to theBishop of Bethlehem, and members of the new Order of Our Lady of Bethlehem, wore a star on their cloaks to symbolize their obeisance to thebishopric of Bethlehem.[2] This order was founded in the 13th century and its members were known as the Bethlehemites.[3]
On 18 January 1459, following the taking ofConstantinople by the Turks (1453),Pope Pius II founded the knightlyOrder of Our Lady of Bethlehem for the defence of the island ofLemnos, whichCardinalLudovico Trevisan,Patriarch of Aquileia, had recaptured fromMohammed II. The island was to be their headquarters, whence they were to oppose the attacks of theMoslems by way of theAegean Sea and theHellespont. The order was composed of brother-knights and priests governed by an elective grand-master. The white costume worn by the members was decorated with a red cross and the rule prescribed for them was very similar to that of theKnights of St. John of Jerusalem.[1][4]
That their needs might be supplied, the pope turned over to them the property and revenues of theorder of St. Lazarus, theorder of Sainte-Marie du Château des Bretons, theorder of Bologna, theorder of the Holy Sepulchre, theorder of Santo Spirito in Sassia, theorder of St. Mary of the Crossed Friars, and theorder of St. James of Lucca, suppressing all these orders for this purpose. He alluded in abull to this foundation and the bravery of its knights, but the second capture of Lemnos by theTurks rendered the institution useless. Thus the order of Our Lady of Bethlehem was suppressed almost as soon as founded and those orders whose goods the pope had transmitted to it were re-established.[1][4]
The Order of Bethlehemite Brothers (or Bethlehem Brothers) are areligious institute founded inGuatemala in 1653 and restored in 1984. It was the first to be founded in theAmericas, and the lastreligious order withsolemn vows to be approved anywhere by the Church before the changes introduced by the1917 Code of Canon Law.[5] Were founded byPedro de San José de Betancur, from theCanarias.
Their official name is Order of Bethlehemite Brothers (Ordo Fratrum Bethlemitarum: O.F.B.), or Bethlehem Brothers (Hermanos de Belén).[6] They are also known as the Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Bethlehem (Orden de los Hermanos de Nuestra Señora de Bethlehem).[7]
In 2007, the order had 17 members, living in a single community atLa Laguna, inTenerife,Canary Islands.[6]
The Monastic Family of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno (or simply Monks and Sisters of Bethlehem) is aRoman Catholic religious order withCarthusian spirituality founded on November 1, 1950, atSaint Peter's Square,Rome, following the promulgation of thedogma of theAssumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, by the inspiration of a small group of French pilgrims.[8] The Monastic Sisters were founded inFrance, soon after, and the Monastic Brothers in 1976.
