Information about the Camaldolese Order

[Based on the manuscripts preserved at the Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts]

Abstract

The Georgia archives preserve historical and literary sources, valuable for Georgia and countries related to its history and culture. Among the Latin codices of its National Center of Manuscripts, four codices (Var-20, 21, 26, 46-2) are related to the Camaldolese Monastic Order.

The Camaldolese Order was founded in 1012/1025 in Camaldol, near Arezzo, by St.Romuald (951-1027). To achieve the desired ascetic strictness St.Romuald founded the Camaldolese monastery and introduced strict fasting, silence, sackcloth, etc. The Order participated in ecumenical councils.

The multiplicity of Latin manuscripts in Georgia is supposedly related to missionaries. After the fall of Constantinople, European missionaries became frequent in Georgia, Catholic congregations increased, Catholic churches were built, and the period was estimated as the best age for Catholicism here. Since the liturgical and spoken language of missionaries was Latin, there were preserved documents written on it. The manuscripts (XVI-XVIII cc.), planned to be studied, include historical documents related to the France [Paris], Polish and Lithuanian Camaldolese monasteries: monastic acts of 1717-1754, lists of abbots and members (Var-20), "Actum Capituli", regulations for monks of high position and their lists (Var-46-2), collection of ascetic-theological texts for novices by Guilielmus Eremita Camaldolese (Var-26), sermons by John Chrysostom: “Quod nemo potest ledi nisi a seipso“ and “De compunctione cordis“ (Var-21), translated by Ambrosius Traversarius, prior general of the Order, legate of Pope Eugene IV.