Orders, Religious, are conventual communities comprehended under one rule, subject to one superior, and wearing the same dress. Religious orders may be reduced to live kinds, viz. monks, canons, knights, men- dicants, and regular clerks. They are, however, gener- ally classified simply as monastic, military, and mendi- cant. White order denotes the order of regular canons of St. Augustine. Black order denotes the order of St. Benedict. Religious military orders are those insti- tuted in defence of the faith, privileged to say mass, prohibited from marriage, etc.
The earliest comprehension of monastic societies un- der one ride was effected l)y St. Basil, archbishop of Ctwarea, who united tlie liermits and coenobites in his diocese, and prescribed for them a uniform constitution, recommending at the same time a vow of celibacy. The I'.asilian rule subsists to the present day in tlie Eastern Churcli. Next in order of time was the Bene- dictine Order, founded by St. Benedict at Nursia, who considered a mild discipline preferable to excessive aus- terity. The offshoots from tlie Benedictine Order in- clude some of tlie most important onlers in ecclesiastical history, among others tlie Carlhusians, Cistercians, and Pnemonstrants. Tlie Order of Augustinians professed to draw their rule from the writings of St, Augustine; they were the first order who were not entirely com- posed of laymen, but of ordained priests, or persons des- tined to the clerical profession. The military orders, of which the members united the militarv witii the reliir-
ious profession, arose from the necessity under which the monks lay of defending the possessions which they had accumulated, and tlie sui)posed duty of recovering Palestine from the Saracens, and retaining possession of it. The most famous orders of this kind were the Hospitallers or Knights of St. .John of Jerusalem, the Knights Templars, and the Teutonic Order. Many otlier military orders existed, and not a few continue to exist, particularly in Sjiain and Portugal. The phra- seology of the old military orders is preserved in the orders of kiiiglithood of modern times, into which indi- viduals are admitted in reward for merit of different kinds, military and civil. The three mendicant orders of Franciscans, Dominicans, and Carmelites were insti- tuted in the I3th century. Their principal purpose was to put down the opposition to the Church, which had begun to show itself, and also to reform the Church by example and precept. At a later period the Order of the Jesuits was founded, with the object of increasing
the power of the Church and putting down heresy
Chambers, Cyclop, s. v. Notices of the more important orders, monastic, military, and mendicant, will be found under separate articles. See also Knights; Monasti- CTS.M; 3Ii:ni)ICAnts.
Ordibarii, a sect of the Catharists, who held that a Trinity only began to be when Jesus Christ was born — that is, Jesus became Son of God by his reception of the Word : and when this preaching attracted others the Holy Ghost began to exist. In their patois, that of the south of France, their adherents were called " bos homes," good men, and " credentes," believers : these last at a later period joined the bos ordo, whence probably the name. See Neander, Church Hist, iii, 360; Kurtz, Manucd of Ch. Hist. sec. 138. See also Albigknses; BoGOMiLKS; Cathaei; Ortlibenses.
Ordinal is the name of the book which contains the forms observed in the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church for the ordination and consecration of bishops, priests, and deacons. It was prepared by a commission appointed in the third j^ear of Edward VI (1550), and was added to the Book of Common Prayer, after approval by Parliament. It was slightly modified in the reign of Elizabeth, and was again revised by the Convention of 16C1.
The English ordinal, in its general structure, resem- bles the ancient services used for a like purpose, but pos- sesses much greater simplicity, and has some features — e. g. the numerous questions addressed to the candi- dates— peculiar to itself. There are separate services for the " making of deacons" and the " ordering of priests," but these are practically joined in one, and used on the same day. The service for the consecra- tion of bishops is altogether distinct. The ordination takes place at one of the Ember seasons, and during the public service, after morning prayer and a sermon on the subject, and begins with the presentation of the candidates by the archdeacon. The bishop inquires as to their fitness, and commends them to the prayers of the congregation. The litany is then said, with special petitions for the candidates for each order, and the com- munion service commences with a special collect, epis- tle, and gospel. Between the epistle and gospel the oath of supremacy is administered, and the candidates for deacons' orders are questioned bj' the bishop and or- dained. The gospel is read by one of the newly or- dained deacons. The candidates for priests' orders are tlien solemnly exhorted and interrogated, and the pray- ers of all present are asked for the divine blessing upon them. For this purpose a pause is made in tlie service for private prayer. After this the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy (ihost, our Souls inspire ) — a com- position of great antiquity, supposed to be as old as the 4th century — is sung, and, the candidates kneeling be- fore the bisho]), he and the assistant presbyters lay their hands upon the head of each, with the words, " Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a