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The Dol Confraternities
Ivica Moškatelo
Abstract
Confraternities as a form of society primarily for ordinary people can be traced back in Europe to the beginning of the 12th century. The Confraternities were mainly religious-humanitarian in character and were associated with particular territories. A Confraternity’s area of activity could be seen from its name, and was usually linked to a town district or a parish. The Confraternities brought together a large majority of the active population of a village or town, and were the basis for founding parishes in these settlements. In the village of Dol on Hvar Island, Confraternities were first mentioned in the 16th century. The oldest was the Confraternity of St. Michael, and others were the Confraternity of Our Lady (Our Lady of Dol or Our Lady of Mount Carmel), the Confraternity of St. Barbara, and the Confraternity of the Rosary, which later was merged with the Confraternity of St. Michael to form the new Confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament. Of sister organizations, there was a record of the Sisterhood of St. Ursula. The activities of all these organizations were regulated by Statute. A recently discovered Statute of a Confraternity dating to 1896 states that the purpose of the Confraternity was to maintain the church and graveyard in a proper state, as the church only possessed a small amount of land which had little value. The priest was a member by right. Members of the Confraternity had to attend funerals, work on church-related matters, take part in public processions in white robes (on every third Sunday each month, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, on the feast days of St. Mark and St. Michael, and on the feast day of Virgin Mary of the Rosary). Each Brother had to buy himself his robe or tunic within a year of being accepted into the Confraternity. Any Brother who failed to fulfil any of the prescribed duties had to pay a fine. The biggest fines were for failure to attend the religious processions, especially that on Good Friday. The text follows the activities of the Confraternity up to the time that the community of the Confraternity slowly started to fade into new relationships after the second world war. Although the Brothers continued to function up to the Second Vatican Council, their end gradually became evident. Today the only thing left of the Brothers and their association in Dol are a few old tunics and some faded memories.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
129869
URI
Publication date:
26.11.2014.
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