Confraternities

confraternity

1. A brotherhood; an association of men united for some purpose or in some common profession; a guild; esp. a brotherhood devoted to some particular service religious or charitable.

c1475 Partenay Prol. 39 He was of hys confraternite. 1601 HOLLAND Pliny II. 553 Numa ordained at Rome a seuenth confraternitie of potters. 1654 H. L'ESTRANGE Chas. I (1655) 110 The Lord Maior with his confraternity of Aldermen. 1688 H. WHARTON Enthus. Ch. Rome 87 We may hope to see erected an holy Confraternity of Catholick Chimney-sweepers. 1854 CARD. WISEMAN Fabiola II. i. 132 Diogenes was the head and director of that confraternity. 1882 B. D. W. RAMSAY Recoll. Mil. Serv. II. xix. 196 First came military; then various confraternities of monks and friars, with lighted tapers, chanting. (OED, 1989)


Papa, and el abuelo, and Rafa and Louis, and el tito are all members of the confraternity El Silencio, founded in 1340 in Seville.

Mama is studying the Misericordia confraternity, founded in 1244 in Florence.