History and Tradition
The Misericordie Movement dates back to the High Middle Ages and is closely connected to the historical circumstances of the city of Florence. During this period, one of the first Confraternities devoted to charitable works was founded.
The origins
The origins of the Misericordie Movement can be traced to the High Middle Ages and are closely connected to the historical circumstances of the city of Florence.
At a time when Italian municipalities (“comuni”) were flourishing, the struggle between the Empire and the Papacy was escalating, and the long-lasting effects of the split between the Christian and Orthodox Churches remained, several Companies or Confraternities were established to guide people towards the higher truths of the Gospel.
During this turbulent time, one of the first Confraternities devoted to charitable works was founded.
History
In this context, the Dominican Friar Pietro da Verona arrived in Florence in 1244. He was an impetuous preacher and a great leader. He remained in Florence until the end of 1245, after which he continued his mission in Northern Italy, where he was killed in Seveso in 1252. The following year, he was declared a Saint under the title of San Pietro Martire.
During his stay in Florence, Friar Pietro strengthened the power of the city’s Church. He fully understood the potential offered by spontaneous gatherings of worshippers. However, their informal character and the absence of Church-based statutes exposed these congregation forms to the risk of heresy.
That is why Friar Pietro established the first “Constitutions” of the Misericordia of Florence.
This reconstruction of the events leading to the foundation of the first Misericordia unfortunately lacks the original documents. These were allegedly lost during the devastating flood in 1557. Therefore, the establishment of the first “mother” Misericordia is confirmed in an indirect way: the first known document mentioning the Misericordia dates back to 1321 and shows that, at that time, the Company had the funds necessary to buy a house in front of the Baptistery.
San Pietro Martire was, in any case, the one who gave the first Misericordia the stability of an institution.
The legend
Along with this reconstruction based on documents, there is a deep-rooted popular tradition.
According to an ancient legend, the founder of the Company of Misericordia was a man named Piero, son of Luca Borsi, who worked in Florence as a porter for the powerful Arte della Lana (the wool guild of Florence during the Middle Ages). A group of these porters, including Piero, would stop for a drink at the “Buca degli Adimari”, a wine tavern close to the cathedral, between their trips.
Discussions were inevitable and frequent, perhaps due to fatigue, wine, and certainly due to ignorance. Piero’s companions would abandon themselves to cursing God’s name. Piero was deeply devoted, and would scold his peers for this behaviour, but without success.
He came up with the idea of imposing a fine whenever any of them cursed. His proposal was accepted by his fellow travellers and after some time they managed to collect a considerable amount of money. He then suggested using that sum to purchase six “zane”, wooden shoulder baskets, widely used among porters to transport the sick and bring them to the hospitals. His companions agreed that a fee would be paid for each trip they made. According to popular tradition, this is how the Company of Misericordia was founded.
History and tradition come together to highlight the founding elements that remain characteristic of every Misericordia to this day: fully ecclesial but also deeply secular and popular.
The “buffa”
Since its establishment, the Misericordia adopted a “service attire” so that all Confreres looked alike without distinction of wealth or origins. It was a simple dress, later complemented with a cloak, called “buffa”, which covered the face. It was fastened at the waist with a cord to which the rosary crown was attached.
This full-body coverage, the “buffa”, the gloves, and even the gaiters (cloth leg coverings worn as part of the habit), was also necessary to ensure the anonymity of the rescuer. Those who were helped were not supposed to know the identity of their helpers, in accordance with the Gospel principle which still guides the movement today: “Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing”.
Originally the garment was red, meaning that the Acts of Mercy were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
In 1495, the garment was transformed: it became black as a sign of penance. This version is still used today in the historic garment that is handed to the new Confreres, who are called to publicly express their choice to live according to the evangelical charity during the vesting ceremony, which marks the end of their training and aspirant period.
The development of the Misericordie associations across Italy
Following the example of the Misericordia of Florence, in the following decades similar Confraternities were established in various cities and areas in Tuscany and later in other Italian regions. All shared some common characteristics: evangelical inspiration, a close bond with the Church, a mission at the service of the sick and the poor, strong popular participation, as well as a similar institutional structure. This means that the Misericordie associations are self-governed and composed of governing bodies freely elected by their members in accordance with their Statutes.
Services also expanded: they not only included the transport of the sick, but also the burial of the dead, public hygiene measures during plagues, support for inmates and those on death row, assistance to women and families in distress, the management of hospitals and hospices, assistance during religious celebrations, and many other actions in response to the needs emerging in the various regions and communities.
Abroad
Towards the end of the 15th century, the experience of Misericordie also expanded to Portugal. No specific documents confirm a connection between the Italian Confraternities and the Portuguese Holy Houses of Mercy; however it seems that Queen Leonor promoted the foundation of the Misericórdia of Lisbon in 1498, after being moved by the story of a Portuguese mission to Florence a few years earlier.
In a short period of time, the Holy Houses of Mercy spread throughout the country, gradually developing their own distinctive characteristics. They were called to manage increasingly complex services, they became strongly organized and ended up owning and managing most of the hospitals in Portugal.
Not only that: as historically great sailors and conquerors, the Portuguese also established a House of Mercy in every land of their empire throughout all their overseas dominions, from Brazil to Mozambique, from Sao Tomé to Macau.
Anyone visiting Portugal or its former colonies will find traces of the Holy Houses of Mercy.
The origins of the Movement
Towards the mid-19th century, there were nearly one hundred Italian Misericordie, mainly in the former Grand Duchy of Tuscany, but also in the Kingdom of Sardinia, in the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, and in the Papal states: different experiences, deeply rooted in local contexts, with very little contact between them, also due to the limited communication systems of the time.
The end of the century and the social and cultural changes brought about by the “new” Kingdom of Italy gave rise to a desire among the Misericordie to share ideas, perspectives, and ideals, as well as the need to unite their strengths, affirm a common identity and promote joint initiatives and projects. After several months of preparatory contacts and meetings, the Misericordie met on 24 and 25 September 1899 in Pistoia for their first Congress, with the blessing of the Holy Father. At the end of the meeting they solemnly decided to found the Confederation of the Associations and Confraternities of Misericordia.
That date marked the origins of the Confederation and the beginning of the Movement.