TRADITIONAL CACHE @ Sint-Elisabeth
begijnhof (beguinage).
(NL) Het Gentse Oud
Begijnhof Sint-Elisabeth is een
woonwijk en een beschermd stadsgezicht. Het ligt in het noordwesten
van Gent in de buurt van het Rabot,
tussen de Burgstraat en de Begijnhoflaan.
Meer info @ Wikipedia
Begijnen?
Begijnen en
begarden zijn vrouwen en mannen die
leven als alleenstaanden of deel uitmaakt van een soort vrije
lekengemeenschap binnen de Rooms-katholieke Kerk. In tegenstelling
tot een lid van een kloosterorde leggen de begijnen en
begarden geen eeuwige geloften
af; hoewel zij kuisheid beloven, mogen zij wel geldelijk en
onroerend eigendom behouden. Door sommigen wordt de term
begijn ook (spottend) gebruikt voor "vrome vrouw" of kwezel
(Zuid-Nederlands).
(ENG)
The Saint-Elisabeth beguinage (a.k.a Holy Corner) is a protected
urban heritage site. It is now a largely urban neighbourhood in the
North West of Ghent, close to the Rabot
(originally a Spanish fortification), between the
Burgstraat and the Begijnhoflaan.
More info @
Wikipedia
Beguines?
Beghards
and Beguines were Roman Catholic lay religious communities active
in the 13th and 14th century, living in a loose semi-monastic
community but without formal vows. They were influenced by
Albigensian teachings and by the
Brethren of the Free Spirit, which flourished in and near Cologne
around the same time but was condemned as heretical.
The Beguine could hardly be called a nun; she took no vows, could
return to the world and wed if she would, and did not renounce her
property. If she was without means she neither asked nor accepted
alms, but supported herself by manual labour, or by teaching the children of burghers.
During the time of her novitiate she lived with "the Grand
Mistress" of her cloister, but afterwards she had her own dwelling,
and, if she could afford it, was attended by her own servants. The
same aim in life, kindred pursuits, and community of worship were
the ties which bound her to her companions.