In this sanctuary of tranquility and quietude, isolated from the city by a fortified wall, resided beguines, liberated, secular women who had pledged celibacy. It was a lifestyle originating in the Middle Ages, created by women for women who resided there independently, free from the constraints of an excessively rigid religious existence and within a non-mixed society. These locations enabled women to reside independently in their own dwellings, away from the patriarchal domains to which they would have been compelled. The regulations instituted in 1300 mandated the prioritization of a beguine's life centered on prayer, work, and self-denial (orare, laborare, pati), while adhering to the principles of chastity and obedience. These desires were arbitrary as they could depart at any moment. The contemplative essence of prayer, a specific discipline of the apostolate, numerous days of fasting, and moderation evoke the notion of a monastic existence without actually embodying it. The adherence to these commandments was deliberated each night prior to retiring. The administration of the beguinage consisted of a parish priest, a grand mistress, a vice-grandmistress, and four young lady councillors, elected for a term of three years (excluding the parish priest). Men, including the parish priest, were prohibited from entering the beguinage after 7 p.m. He resided in the presbytery constructed beyond the wall. To be a beguine, one needed to be affluent or of noble lineage, as all expenses were covered by the community. The beguines were required to compensate the priest and the four chaplains. The Beguines possessed substantial assets, including residences such as the infirmary and the choir (schola cantorum), generating significant money. In addition to helping, they were significantly engaged in the sale of embroidery and lace.
The Gothic-style church, encircled by white-painted homes, is situated around a central wooded park, which is encompassed by a massive carriage gate that serves as the sole entrance, locked from dark up to dawn. The 15th-century chapel and infirmary border the residence of the Grand Mistress. The Beguinage of Bruges, akin to other ecclesiastical establishments, was dissolved by the French Revolutionary Administration at the close of the eighteenth century, and in 1799 its assets were transferred to the Commission of Public Hospices. Two daughters of de Meese, originating from a devout family, became beguines following the tribulations of French and Dutch rule.
Subsequent to the Concordat of 1801, established between the Pope and Napoleon I, which governed the operations of both Protestant and Catholic churches, pastors were henceforth compensated by the state. Beginning in 1803, a semblance of tranquility was reestablished in the beguinage, gradually restoring the norms and mores of everyday life, though not entirely replicating the illustrious time of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Currently, the Beguinage is occupied by nuns of the Order of St. Benedict and a few single women from Bruges. The Beguinage is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I strongly endorse a visit to this charming location in Bruges; you will not be disappointed.
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