MAGDALENS

Called also Penitents or White Ladies (they wore white), a religious order of women, some of them converted public sinners, founded to reform or protect women and girls. Although St. dominic had organized a short-lived cloistered community of penitent women at Toulouse in 1215, the Order of Magdalens proper was founded at Metz by Rudolf of Worms and confirmed by Gregory IX in 1227. After 1232 most houses changed from the original Cistercian rule to a Dominican form of the rule of St. augustine. A male branch following the original Dominican constitutions was attached to the Magdalens for direction and government: each house had a prior, three priests, and laymen, as well as a prioress. There were provincial priors, and a general prior for the entire order (Rudolf was the first, until 1235).

The order spread quickly in Germany (Worms, 1224; Strasbourg, 1225; Mühlhausen and Würzburg, 1227; Speyer, 1228; Mainz, Cologne, Goslar, 1229), France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, with more than 40 convents in Germany in the 13th century. It was placed under the direction of the dominicans in 1286, was incorporated by them in 1287, and in 1291 again became independent. After 1370, however, it declined: the male branch and General Chapter had little meaning; unity was lacking and noble women without vocation were accepted in great number. Many houses passed to the Dominicans and franciscans. Most convents were lost at the Reformation. A few Magdalen public health institutes still exist: at Lauban (founded 1320) and Studenz. There is also a convent in Seyboldsdorf (Bavaria).

Small communities of Magdalens, once connected with the Order and with the same purpose, developed independently. A foundation of Magdalens at Marseilles, with the approval of Nicholas III, became a religious congregation under the rule of St. Augustine (c. 1272). The so-called Magdalens of the Rue Saint-Denis were founded early in the 17th century. Similar communities were founded at Naples (1324), Paris (1592), Rome (1520), and Seville (1550). A community called the Madelonnettes, which had the same purpose, was founded in 1618 by the Capuchin Athanase Molé; it is no longer in existence. This group was permitted to take religious vows by francis de sales, who placed it successively under various women's congregations. It was raised to monastic status by Urban VIII and augmented by branches at Rouen and Bordeaux. It contained three congregations: Magdalens proper with solemn vows; Sisters of St. Martha with simple vows; and Sisters of St. Lazarus, who had once been public sinners confined against their will.

Bibliography: p. hÉlyot, Dictionnaire des ordres religieux, 4 v. (Paris 1847–59). a. simon, L'Ordre des Penitents de Ste. M.-Madeleine en Allemagne (Fribourg 1918). Heimbucher 1: 646–648. g. gieraths, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, j. hofer and k. rahner, eds. (Freiburg 1957–65) 6:1270–71.

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