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The Third Order of St. Dominic (known as Lay Fraternities of St Dominic or Lay Dominicans since 1972) is a Roman Catholic third order affiliated with the Dominican Order. Lay Dominicans are men and women, singles and couples living a Christian life with a Dominican spirituality in the secular world. They find inspiration following the same spiritual path taken by many saints, blessed, and other holy men and women throughout the almost 800 year history of the Dominican Order. The Life of a Dominican layperson is all about having a passion for the Word of God. It is about committing one self to a community of like minded brothers and sisters that immerse themselves in the Word of God. There are Lay Dominican Provinces across the United States and around the world. In the United States, these include the Southern Province,〔url=http://laydomsouth.org/〕 Central Province, Western Province, and Eastern Province. ==Origin== This was one of the earliest developments of the ancient ''Ordo de Poenitentia'' (Order of Penance). This was a status which developed in the ancient Church, in which those faithful who sought a more dedicated way of life embraced the lifestyle of a penitent then in effect in the Church. It was not the organization from which the Friars Preachers evolved, but rather represents that portion of the Order of Penance which came under Dominican influence. At first vaguely constituted and living without system or form, its members gradually grew more and more dependent on their spiritual guides. The climax was reached, and the work of St. Francis received its final perfection, when Friar Munio of Zamora, the seventh Master General of the Friars Preachers, formulated a definite Rule in 1285. By this the Ordo de Poenitentia was to be ruled in each local centre by a Dominican priest〔Federici, "Istoria de cavalieri Gaudenti", Venice, 1787, Codex Diplomaticus.〕 and was to be subject to the obedience of the Dominican priors provincial and Masters General. No longer were there to be any of those vague transitions and extravagant vagaries〔 which disfigured in history these Orders of Penance. Henceforward this branch was linked to the fortunes of the Friars Preachers, wore their habits of black and white (with few minor differences varying according to time and country), and was to participate in all their good works. They were not called a third order indeed until after the 13th century〔Mandonnet, "Les règles et le gouvernement de l'ordo de Poenitentia", Paris, 1902, p. 207.〕 but continued to be known as "Brothers and Sisters of Penance" with the addition "of St. Dominic", that is say, they were the "Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic". Simultaneously with them there came into being another and very different institution which, however, subsequently amalgamated with the Ordo de Poenitentia to form the Dominican Third Order. This was a military order, called the Militia Jesu Christi (soldiery of Jesus Christ). It owed its origin to Bishop Foulques of Toulouse, Simon de Montfort,〔 and probably to St. Dominic, then a canon regular. This connection with the founder of the Friars Preachers is first definitely propounded by the Blessed Raymund of Capua, who became a Dominican about 1350. But the truth of this assertion is borne out by several other indications. As early as 1235, Pope Gregory IX confided the Militia to the care of Friar Jordan of Saxony, second Master General, by a Bull of 18 May;〔 and in the same year he decreed for the knights a habit of black and white.〔 Further, when the Militia was brought across the Alps and established in Italy, it is found to be always connected with some Dominican church.〔 Lastly, it was very largely influenced by a famous Dominican, Friar Bartolomeo of Braganza, or of Vicenza, as he is sometimes called.〔 Originally working side by side and independent of each other, because both received the same spiritual administration of the Friars Preachers, they appear to have been merged at the close of the 13th century. This is what Raymond of Capua implies as the result of his researches. So too their ultimate coincidence is hinted at by Honorius III in 1221 when he designates the Militia "nomine poenitentiae",〔 and a comparison also of the rules of the two institutions: that of Pope Gregory for the Militia in 1235〔 and that of Munio de Zamora for the Order of Penance of St. Dominic in 1285〔 would lead one to the same conclusion. The only considerable difference that could be cited against this identify is that Munio of Zamora expressly forbids the carrying of arms. But this is in reality but a further proof of their approximation, for he allows for the one exception which could possibly apply to the Militia, viz. in defence of the Church.〔 This amalgamation is admitted by the Bollandists to have become general in the 14th century.〔''Acta Sanctorum'', August, I, 418-422.〕 From this double movement therefore, i.e. from the Ordo de Poenitentia S. Dominici and the Militia Jesu Christi, was born the modern Third Order of St. Dominic. Though its source is therefore anterior to the First Order, its full perfection as an organized society, with a distinctive habit, a definite rule, and a declared ethos or spirit, is due to the genius of the children of St. Dominic. They took an ancient institution, and, with their characteristic love of order and systematic arrangement, brought it into something compact and symmetrical. From them this idea of subjection to a First Order was taken up by the Franciscans and has been adopted by all subsequent Third Orders. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Third Order of Saint Dominic」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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