Penitence
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
Is sometimes used for a state of repentance, and sometimes for the act of repenting. 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.
See next article. Order of penitents of St. Magdalen was established about the year 1272, by one Barnard, a citizen of Marseilles, who devoted himself to the work of converting the courtesans of that city. Barnard 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. Augustin. F. Gesney says, 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 penitents of St. Magdalen at Paris, owed its rise to the preaching of F. Tisseran, a Franciscan, who converted a vast number of courtesans, about the year 1492. Louis, duke of Orleans, gave them his house for a monastery; or rather, as appears by their constitution, Charles VIII. gave them the hotel called Bochaigne, 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 them up a body of statutes, and gave them the rule of St. Augustin. 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 thirty-five years of age. Since its reformation by Mary Alvequin, in 1616, none have been admitted but maids, who, however, still retain the ancient name, penitents.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(n.) The quality or condition of being penitent; the disposition of a penitent; sorrow for sins or faults; repentance; contrition.
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [3]
Penitence —See Repentance.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [4]
(Gr. Μετανοία ; Lat. Penitentia ) is the older word for repentance (q.v.) used by the Vulgate, but replaced by Resipiscentia, Μεταμελεία , when the penitential scheme of the Latin Church was developed; for Poenitentia then became restricted to the Act of repentance, i.e. the performance of the penances of the confessional. (See Penance). Penitence is an enduring and penal condition; for there is an evident etymological connection between peana and punio, both having their common origin Ποινή , a "fine," or "weregeld," for blood. The old form, in fact, of Punio was Pyenio, and is so written by Cicero, "Cum multi inimicos mortuos poeniantur" (Tusc. 1:44, and MSS. in Mil. 31; also, Aul. Gell. VII, 3:54). Thus Moerus, whence Pomrriunm, for Murus, from Μοῖρα (quasi "allotment boundary"), Maenio for Munio; Paniceus and Puniceus, paenicus and punicus. "Poenitere" is explained as "pnoenam tenere" by the ancient author of the treatise De vera et falsa Penitentia, in the works of Augustine, with direct reference to punio. "Poenitere enim est poenam tenere, ut semper puniat in se ulciscendo quod commisit peccando. Poena enim proprie dicitur laesio quae punit et vindicat quod quisque commisit" (c. xix). Isidore of Seville gives the same definition, "A punitione poenitentia nomen accepit, quasi punitentia, cum ipse homo punit poenitendo quod male admisit;" which is followed by the schools:" Pcenitentia quasi punitentia" (Hugo a S. Vict. De Myst. Eccl.c. iii.). Scotus slightly varies the definition, "quasi poenae tenentia." Hence the idea of penitence involves a lasting remorse for sin — "yea, what revenge," as St. Paul expresses it; and in this it is distinguished from the initiative repentance that leads to conversion and baptism. Thus penitence may be said to be a correlative term of repentance, as renovation is of regeneration.
Penitence 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. (See Penitents).
