Celestines

Celestines, an order of hermits of St Damianus, founded by Peter di Morrone about 1254, and confirmed as a monkish order by Urban IV. in 1264 and by Gregory X. in 1274. They called themselves Celestines when their founder ascended the papal chair. They follow the rule of St Benedict, wear a white garment with black hood and scapulary, and live a purely contemplative life. In the 13th and 14th centuries the order spread rapidly through France, Italy, and Germany, but subsequently decayed, and is now almost extinct. The French Celestines were secularised by order of Pope Pius VI. in 1776-78; so also were the Neapolitan Celestines.