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 Narbonne, who devoted himself to the work of converting the courtezans 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. Gesnay 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. Tiffiran, a Franciscan, who converted a vast number of courtezans 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 Bochagne, 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.

PENITENTS, an appellation given to certain fraternities of penitents distinguished by the different shape and colour of their habits. These are secular societies, who have their rules, statutes, and churches, and make public processions under their particular crosses or banners. Of these there are more than a hundred, the most considerable of which are as follow: the white penitents, of which there are several different sorts at Rome, the most ancient of which was constituted in 1264; the brethren of this fraternity every year give portions to a certain number of young girls, in order to their being married: their habit is a kind of white sackcloth, and on the shoulder is a circle, in the middle of which is a red and white cross. Black penitents, the most considerable of which are the brethren of mercy, instituted in 1488 by some Florentines, in order to assist criminals during their imprisonment, and at the time of their death: on the day of execution they walk in procession before them, singing the seven penitential psalms and the litanies; and after they are dead, they take them down from the gibbet and bury them; their habit is black sackcloth. There are others whose business it is to bury such persons as are found dead in the streets: these wear a death's head on one side of their habit. There are also blue, gray, red, green, and violet penitents; all of whom are remarkable for little else besides the different colours of their habits.

Mabillon tells us, that at Turin there are a set of penitents kept in pay to walk through the streets in procession, and cut their shoulders with whips, &c.

PENITENTS, or Convents of the name of Jesus, a congregation of religious at Seville in Spain, consisting of women who had led a licentious life, founded in 1550. This monastery is divided into three quarters: one for professed religious; another for novices; a third for those who are under correction. When these last give signs of a real repentance, they are removed into the quarter of the novices, where, if they do not behave themselves well, they are remanded to their correction. They observe the rule of St Augustine.

PENITENTS of Orvieto, are an order of nuns, instituted by Antony Simoncelli, a gentleman of Orvieto in Italy. The monastery he built was at first designed for the reception of poor girls, abandoned by their parents, and in danger of losing their virtue. In 1662 it was erected into a monastery, for the reception of such as, having abandoned themselves to impurity, were willing to take up, and consecrate themselves to God by solemn vows. Their rule is that of the Carmelites.

These religious have this in peculiar, that they undergo no noviciate. All required is, that they continue a few months in the monastery in a secular habit; after which they are admitted to the vows.