PENITENCE, is sometimes used for a state of repentance, and sometimes for the act of repenting. See REPENTANCE. It is also used for a discipline, or punishment attending repentance; more usually called penance. It also gives title to several religious orders, consisting either of converted debauchees, and reformed prostitutes, or of persons who devote themselves to the office of reclaiming them. Of this latter kind is the
Order of PENITENCE of St Magdalen, established about the year 1272 by one Bernard, a citizen of Marcellies, who devoted himself to the work of converting the courtesans of that city. Bernard was seconded by several others; who, forming a kind of society, were at length erected into a religious order by Pope Nicholas III. under the rule of St Augustine. F. Gessnay says, that they also made a religious order of the penitents, or women they converted, giving them the same rules and observances which they themselves kept.
Congregation of PENITENCE of St Magdalen at Paris, owed its rise to the preaching of F. Tisseran, a Franciscan, who converted a vast number of courtesans about the year 1492. Louis duke of Orleans gave them his house for a monastery; or rather, as appears by their constitutions, Charles VIII. gave them the hotel called Bochaigne, whence they were removed to St George's chapel, in 1572. By virtue of a brief of Pope Alexander, Simon bishop of Paris, in 1497, drew up for them a body of statutes, and gave them the rule of St Augustine. It was necessary, before a woman could be admitted, that she had first committed the sin of the flesh. None were admitted who were above 35 years of age.
Till the beginning of the last century, none but penitents were admitted; but since its reformation by Mary Alvequin, in 1616, none have been admitted but maids, who, however, still retain the ancient name penitents.