Preaching and religious profession in the seventeenth century: life outside the glorification of the century.

Abstract

Sermons have been studied in diverse perspectives, particularly from the point of view of literature and history. On the matter produced in the seventeenth century, aims to assess how the preachers understood the profession in face of women and female purposes. Seven sermons were delivered at this time in Portugal about this issue. Being the religious state considered superior to those of single, married or widowed, ie, virginity and chastity being revalued at the Council of Trent, it seems plausible that the voluntary abandonment of the century was the subject of exaltation on the part of lay and ecclesiastical. In this context, the analysis goes through sermonistic in praise of the religious vows and the joy that they should feel about leaving the world. The exaltation of different orders and convents they joined and reflections about the names adopted were also present. These themes addressed by preachers were synthesized by Fray Jorge de Carvalho, during the occupation of Sister Ana Maria.We intend to evaluate how the preachers understood the profession and the women who served these purposes sermons. The seven sermons in the study were published between 1664 and 1699. Keywords: Female, sermonistic, XVII century.