Order of San Anton

[Kathy Gower]

A little something to add to this story:

There is a wonderful museum in Colmar (northern France/Alsace), The
Unterlinden.  The chief draw of this wonderful place is the Issenheim Altar,
consisting of a carved portion from about 1490 and an incredible set of
paintings by the master known as Gruenwald, painted between 1512 & 1516.
They are truly mystical and feature St. Anthony as they were part of the
Convent of the Order of St. Anthony  of Issenheim, a village close by.
These monks were dedicated to helping cure people of what is called St.
Athony's fre, caused by rye ergot.

This convent profited from the passage of pilgrims to Santiago or to Rome as
it was located on the passeage from Maine to Basle. The coat of arms from
the gentleman who comissioned the convent, Guido Guersi, can be seen at the
museum AND on an incredible painting of St. Anthony.  It consists of five
scallop shells on a background of fleurr d'lys!


>From: Rosina Lila <BlaroliaAOL.COM>
>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
>To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
>Subject: Order of San Anton
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 10:41:00 EDT
>
>Hello again,
>It is believed that the old San Anton monastery, whose melancholic ruins
>are
>extant, was endowed by Alfonso VII in the year 1146 and it became the House
>General of the San Anton order.  The monks, called "antonianos", wore a
>brown
>habit adorned with a large Tau and gave little wooden Taus to pilgrims on
>their
>way to Santiago.  It is said that Saint Francis of Assisi received one from
>them and used it thenceforth when making the sign of the Cross in
>benedictions.
>Because of the reputation of the San Anton brothers as healers they were
>eventually accused of practicing alchemy and other non-Christian acts,
>which
>caused Carlos III to obtain a writ, in 1789, extinguishing the order,
>followed by
>the permanent closing of the  monastery in 1791.
>The good reputation of the San Anton brothers was only restored in the
>twentieth century.
>Close by, between Olmillos de Sasamon and Castrojeriz, lies Villasandino,
>the
>home town of Antonio Alvarez, an extreme off-off-color, and funny, medieval
>poet, whose works are studied (with great interest, no doubt) by University
>students all over Spain.
>Regards,
>Rosina
>
>
>

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