a religious order, so called from their founder Peter de Meuron, afterwards raised to the pontificate under the name of Celestine V. This Peter, who was born of mean parents at Ifernia, a little town in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1215, retired, while very young, to a solitary mountain, in order to dedicate himself wholly to prayer and mortification. The fame of his piety attracted several, from curiosity, to see him; some of whom, charmed with his virtues, renounced the world in order to join him in his solitude. With these he formed, in the year 1254, a kind of community, which was approved by Pope Urban IV, ten years afterwards, and erected into a distinct order, called the Hermits of St Damien. Peter de Meuron governed this order till 1286, when his love of solitude and retirement induced him to quit the charge. In July 1294, the great reputation of his sanctity raised him, though much against his will, to the pontificate. He then took the name of Celestine V, and his order that of Celestins from him. By his bull he approved of their constitutions, and confirmed all their monasteries to the number of twenty. But he occupied too short time the chair of St Peter to do many great things for his order; for having governed the church five months and a few days, he considered that the great burden he had taken upon himself was one to which he was no longer equal, and solemnly renounced the pontificate in a consistory held at Naples.

After his death, which happened in 1296, his order made great progress, not only in Italy, but likewise in France whither the then general, Peter of Tivoli, sent twelve religious persons, at the request of King Philip the Fair, who gave them two monasteries; one in the forest of Orleans, and the other in the forest of Compiègne at Mount Chartres. This order likewise passed into several provinces of Germany. They have about ninety-six convents in Italy, and twenty-one in France, under the title of priories.

The Celestins rise two hours after midnight to say matins. They eat no flesh at any time, except when they are sick. They fast every Wednesday and Friday, from Easter to the feast of the exaltation of the holy cross; and, again, from that feast to Easter, every day. Their habit consists of a white gown, a capuche, and a black scapulary. In the choir, and when they go out of the monastery, they wear a black cowl with the capuche; their shirts are of serge.