The
Theatines or the
Congregation of Clerks Regular of the Divine Providence are a male
religious order of the Catholic Church, with the post-nominal initials "C.R."
Foundation
The order was founded by
Saint Cajetan (Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene),
Paolo Consiglieri,
Bonifacio da Colle, and Giovanni Pietro Carafa (afterwards
Pope Paul IV). Carafa was
Bishop of Chieti;
Chieti (Theate) is a city of the
Abruzzi in Central Italy, from which the congregation adopted its specific name, to distinguish it from other congregations (
Jesuits,
Barnabites,
Somaschi,
Caracciolini, etc.) modelled upon it.
Cajetan consecrated his order to the
Cross, which he adopted as its emblem, and the foundation took place on the feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross, May 3, 1524. It was approved on June 24 of that year, by
Pope Clement VII in the Brief
Exponi Nobis. On September 14, feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Cajetan and his companions made solemn profession before the papal altar of
St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, in the presence of Mgr.
Giovanni Battista Bonziano,
Bishop of Caserta, a special papal delegate.
The chief object of the order was to recall the clergy to an edifying life and the
laity to the practice of
virtue. Cajetan and his companions zealously endeavoured to combat the teachings of
Martin Luther, which, having gained a foothold in Switzerland, Germany, England, and France, then threatened Italy. They founded
oratories (among them the celebrated
Divino Amore) and...
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