The Arroasian Order in Medieval Ireland

Abstract

The Arroasian order was one of the most important of the twelfth-century congregations of canons regular of St Augustine. The development of the institute of the canons regular may be said to have had two phases. From early christian times it was comparatively common for communities of priests, forming the staff of cathedral or large city churches, to imitate the monastic rule of life. In the general disorder which followed upon the barbarian invasions this practice disappeared. It was revived again under Charlemagne, only to suffer a similar fate on the break-up of his empire. At this stage we find secular priests performing collegiate and parochial work while living a regular life under a rule usually given them by a bishop.