Review article
Historical development of Church care for patients
Ante Komadina
; TKI, Mostar
Abstract
The development of church care for patients begins from the
Lord’s amendment given to the Church: Whenever you go into a
town, cure those in it who are sick and say, “The kingdom of God
is very near to you”. (cf. Lk 10, 9). Three basic things characterize
the nature of the Church: proclaiming the word of God (kerygmamartyria);
celebration of the holy sacraments, particularly the
Eucharist (leiturgia); effective love, i.e. serving to love (diakonia).
Around the middle of the 4th century in Egypt in monasteries,
some activities that will later develop into a body called diaconia
started to be practiced. Later they spread to the whole Church,
as many Fathers confirm. After the Edict of Milan charity
work received even greater impetus. Depending on the needs,
charitable institutions were opened (Nosokomeion, Brefotrofio
and Orfanotrofio, Gerontokomio, Ptokotrofio, Xenodokéion). Monks
were the main protagonists of church care for the patients for a
long time. According to the decrees of Charlemagne every bishop
had to build a hospice. Middle Ages gave rise to knight orders
that took care of patients and hospitals: the Knights of St. John,
today the Knights of Malta; Hospital Order of St. Lazarus; the
Teutonic Knight’s Order; Knights Templar; the Hospitallers of St.
Anthony the Hermit. Confraternities and monastic communities
for the care of patients started to develop, especially at the time
of pandemic of bubonic plague, leprosy and syphilis. Later on
prime movers of care for patients emerged: St. John of God,
St. Camillus de Lellis, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Joseph
Cottolengo. The Catholic Church continues to this day to care
for patients in its own charitable institutions or in cooperation
with state structures, not only in the countries of Christian
roots and culture, but also in the countries of other cultures
and religions.
Keywords
diakonia; history of pastoral care for patients; charitable institutions
Hrčak ID:
112234
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2013.
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