Order of the Most Holy Trinity The Trinitarians

Order of the Most Holy Trinity The Trinitarians: A History

I. The Story of St. John De. Matha 1. Birth – - Born to noble parents on June 23, 1160 in France 2. On January 28 th, 1193: a. - St. John de Matha celebrated his first Mass - As he elevated the Host, he had a vision of Christ with a Moslem Moor at his left and a Christian slave at his right holding a red & blue cross b. As a result: - He devoted priesthood to saving Christian captive slaves 6. St. John de Matha died on December 17 th, 1213.

A. 3. Felix de Valois John traveled to a hermitage in Cerfroid, near Paris He met with Felix de Valois to help him discern how to begin the Order. Felix also thought that the captives needed to be set free B. 2 nd Vision: - John and Felix saw a white stag at a stream that had a red & blue cross between his antlers - Felix was so impressed he joined the Order 4. John traveled to Rome and on December 17 th, 1198 Pope Innocent III allowed John to found the Most Holy Order of the Trinity. (aka Trinitarians) a. They wore white habits with a red & blue cross on their scapular to represent the Trinity.

I. Trinitarians Background History: - Crusades - North African Moslem pirates capturing rich Christians to ransom them or sell them into slavery - 1 rich Christian captive = an entire raid on a village Charism (Mission): - Ransom of Christians (Slaves) out of slavery Founded: - December 17, 1198 – Felix de Valois & John de. Matha were given permission by Pope Innocent III to begin a Catholic Order devoted to the Blessed Trinity 5. The Work: Ransomed Christian captives and worked in a hospital - raise money for three purposes: - for ransom - for the poor - for maintenance of monasteries

Moor mʊər - Show Spelled Pronunciation[moo r] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a Moslem of the mixed Berber and Arab people inhabiting NW Africa. • The Moorish ambassador of the Barbary States to the Court of Queen Elizabeth I of England. The Barbary pirates, also sometimes called Ottoman corsairs, were pirates and privateers that operated from north Africa (the "Barbary coast"). They operated out of Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers, Salé and ports in Morocco, preying on Christian and non-Islamic shipping in the western Mediterranean Sea from the time of the Crusades until the early 19 th century. Their stronghold was along the stretch of northern Africa known as the Barbary Coast (a medieval term for the Maghreb after its Berber inhabitants), although their predation was said to extend throughout the Mediterranean, south along West Africa's Atlantic seaboard, and into the North Atlantic, purportedly as far north as Iceland. As well as preying on shipping, raids called Riazzas were often made on European coastal towns for capturing white Christian slaves. The pirates were responsible for capturing large numbers of slaves from Europe, who were sold in slave markets in places such as Algeria and Morocco. [1][2]

II. A Brief History 1. France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Scotland, England, Ireland Early Rescues: - During the Crusades 1247 1270 - When they crossed the Mediterranean their ships were attacked and the monks were often murdered. -The Moors trusted the monks, and preferred to negotiate ransoms with the Trinitarians

The Middle Years -1400’s when the English invaded France - 1500’s with the Protestant Reformation disabling English & Irish houses – to include hanging monks - In 1578 a schism broke out within the Trinitarians resulting in a division of the order: the primitive and the Discalced - The Discalced worked in Spain, Italy & Austria in 1690 ransomed Christians from the Turks (Eventually they were again united) - 1789 the French Revolution wiped out the order in France Rebuilding in the Later Years - Rebuilt – Pope Pius IX gave them the Basilica of St. John Chrysogonus in Rome - Moved to the United States in 1906 in New Jersey, Maryland Pennsylvania

VII. Modern Trinitarians 1) 2) The Trinitarians continue to work today to rescue and free slaves, be they Christian or not: “Glory to the Trinity and Ransom to Captives” Purposes Today: - Conduct and assist Parishes - give missions and retreats - care for the sick and poor - educate young men - devoted to the Holy Trinity

F. The Modern Trinitarians • • True to their redemptive mission, the Trinitarians wish to be an epiphany of Christ the Redeemer among people today, credible witnesses through whom God works and reveals his merciful and redemptive love. Their CHARISM always is “Gloria Tihi Trinitas et captivis libertas” (Glory to you O Trinity and liberty to the captives) Working today in: - United States - Canada - Mexico - Argentina - Bolivia - Brazil - Chile - Italy - Colombia - Madagascar - South Korea - Spain - France - Germany - Austria - Guatemala - Puerto Rico - Peru - India - Egypt - Poland - Congo