Visit C^pQ, £7r«Tic£7rrojuo(). Little mention is made in the Bible of ceremonies or complimentary visits of a social character. See Courtesy. Guests were wel- comed with water to wash their feet (Gen. xviii, 4; xxiv, 32; Judg. xix, 21 ; 1 Sam. xxv, 41 ; Luke vii, 44, etc.; comp. Shaw, Travels, p. 208); just as in modern times coffee, tobacco, and frequently other refreshments are otFered, and the beard is sometimes sprinkled with per- fumed water (Arvieux, iii. 186; Harmer, ii, 77, 83; iii, 179). A repast was speedily prepared (Gen. xviii, 4; Judg. xix, 21 ; comp. Niebuhr, Bed. p. 58; Arvieux, iv, 342), and the guest's animals were provided for (Gen. xxiv, 32; Judg. xix, 21). See Hospitality. Pres- ents are common to-da\' in visits (Harmer, ii, 13). See Gift. It was regarded as a sacred duty to visit the sick (Sirach, vii, 39; Matt, xxv, 36, 43), and the Tal- mudists had the proverb "To neglect to visit the sick is the same as to shed blood" (see Schiittgen, t/or. Ileh. i, 230 sq.) ; a principle of humanity that was recognised even an}oiig the heathen (see Kype, Observ. i, 129 sq.). ■ — Winer, i, 166.
Visitants, nuns of the visitation of Elisabeth, the motherof J(jhn the Baptist, by Mary, the mother of Jesus, constitute an order founded by St. Francis de Sales — whence they are sometimes called Salesimis — in con- junction with Madame de Chantal. The first house was founded at Annecy in the spring of 1610, and in June Sales gave the order an exceedingly simple rule. There was to be no seclusion, no peculiarit}' of dress, except that its color should be black, and a black veil should cover
the head, and no mortifications. They were to recite only the lesser OJficium Mario'. Their houses were all to be subject to the diocesan bishop, and were to be open for the temporary accommodation of pious females, with a view to their spiritual advancement. A special peculiarity was enforced from the begiiming, however, in the requirement that the sisters should change their rosaries, breviaries, crucifixes, etc., each year. Their duty consisted in visiting the sick and poor in imitation of Mary, who visited Elisabeth. The original form of the society was changed in 1618, under Paul V, from a congregation to a religion, and it received the name of Order of the Visitation (q. v.), with a separate rule named after Augustine. The constitutions were framed by Francis and confirmed by Urban VIII in 1626. The diocesan bishop continued to exercise authority over the order within his see. A special garb was prescribed, of black, with white veil and black forehead-piece, and seclusion was introduced, which did away with the visita- tion of the sick and poor. Ascetical practices were not made more severe. The order is now extended over Italy, France, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Syria, and America. It has rendered meritorious service in the instruction of the young. See Herzog, Re(d- Encyklop. s. V. ; and Jean Galas et sa Famille (Paris, 1858).
Visitatio Limisum SS. Apostoldmm. A visitation of the Church of the Apostles (Peter and Paul) at Rome may be imposed by a vow or by legal requirement. The former cause was very fruitful of such visits during the 3Iiddlc Ages, and special protection was accorded to "Peregrini qui propter Deum Komam vadunt, Romipe- tiB Apostolorum limina visitantes,"etc. It was the spe- cial privilege of the bishops to grant dispensation from such vows; but the popes introduced a papal reservation after a time, to protect themselves against abuses on the part of bishops, though the application of such res- ervation was connected with conditions which led to the practical transfer of the whole business to the bishops.
The Visitatio ex lege is regulated by the pope, in whom centres the authority by which the Church is governed, and is ordered for the better government of the Church. Each prelate is obliged, to this end, to visit Rome at stated times, and to submit written re- ports of his charge during the intervals. The earliest decree bearing on the subject was issued by a Roman synod in 743. which obliged bishops subject to the Ro- man see to frequently visit their superior (c. 4, dist. xciii ; see also Liber Diurnus, op. et stud. Garnerii [Paris, 1680, 4to], p. 66). Since the time of (iregory VII a similar obligation was imposed on all metropoli- tans (c. 4, X, De Jurejiirando, ii, 24, Greg. VII, an. 1079), and afterwards on all prelates, particularly bishops, the intervals between their visits being regidated by the distance of the particular diocese from Rome. Certain bishops having secured an exemption from this duty, their privilege was revoked by Alexander IV in 1257. The bull Romanvs Pontifex (Biillar. Magn. [ed. Lnx- emh.], ii, 551), issued by Sixtus V on Dec. 20, 1584, commanded the bishops resident in Mediterranean lands to visit Rome once in three years; those in Europe, outside of Russia and Turkey, once in four; all others, living in Europe and eastward of the American conti- nent, once in five; and those in the remaining sections of the world once in ten years. Benedict XIV extend- ed the obligation so as to make it cover all prelates of every class who should have territorial jurisdiction, in the constitution Quod Sancta of Nov. 23, 1740 (h'tillcn: cit. xvi, fol. 11). It is generally conceded that even tit- ulary bishops are held to this duty.