Almoner

Almoner (also Almosener or Almosner, latin eleemosynarius, French aumônier, English almoner, Italian elemosiniere, elemosiniero, limosnario Spanish, limosnero ) is the name of a secular or ecclesiastical official, originally an arms agent, who with the distribution of alms to the poor and the administration of the designated goods and funds entrusted.

Eleemosynarius as epithet or attribute mean in Latin of Late Antiquity at first only " charitable, generous with alms " and was then in the medieval period ( with secondary forms such as elemosinarius, alemosinarius, almonarius ) in the monastic and episcopal area for official designation for those individuals who were responsible for that the prescribed tithe of the respective ecclesiastical income was distributed to the poor. The monastery was one of the tasks of the Almoseniers also the management of the hospital, housed in the travelers and not belonging to the monastery of the poor and sick were cared for, and was sometimes referred to as eleemosynaria. In addition, he was responsible for the care of the external schools affiliated to the monastery, which is why the modern French school chaplain is still called aumônier. At the papal court the papal almoner to the highest prelates counted in the court of the Pope, his authority Eleemosynaria Apostolica was established as a permanent institution since the 12th century and it is assumed today as an agent for social and charitable issues to the Pope directly.

The European royal courts of the Middle Ages took over the almoner according to church modeled as a secular court office, which was usually exercised by a nobleman clergy. He was in charge of Charity and alms beings, spoke at the princely table saying grace and often served as a spiritual advisor and confessor to the prince. At the French court, the tasks in the Late Middle Ages already distributed on several royal Aumôniers. You stood in front since the time of Charles VIII a Grand AUMONIER du Roi (or de France), which developed especially since the time of Francis I. to one of the most influential royal officials and with the responsibility for all ecclesiastical affairs of the state. He was usually a cardinal, and one of his duties or rights, inter alia, the supervision of the Militärgeistlichkeit - titled Eveque of Armées - about the blind Hospital of the Quinze - Vingts and the Collège de France, whose professors he to appointed in 1661. The office was abolished during the French Revolution and of Napoleon I and Napoleon III. only temporarily (until 1890) revived. Due to the former jurisdiction of military chaplains and the chaplain is to support the police in French but still referred to as aumônier ( aumônier militaire, aumônier of Armées, aumônier the gendarmes ).

In England, exists today as part of the Royal Household, the Royal Almonry, headed by the Lord High Almoner. This has traditionally been a bishop, who earlier provided the charitable duties of his office and the right to adopt confiscations had the benefit of the poor. Besides there are not as belonging to the royal household Erbamt the Marquis of Exeter since 1685 the Grand Almoner, which is a pure Titularamt.

Also in Masonic lodges, there is the office of Almoseniers, German also called nurse gifts. His task is to survey the needs in his box. He is the contact person for alms and cares about the welfare of the members, which includes visits to the sick, elderly and infirm. Depending on the ritual, he also speaks the table blessing at the brother grinding.