Pastoral health care from the VI to the XVII century

Abstract

This article studies the pastoral of assistance in religious hospitals from the VI to the XVII century. The author examines some fundamental steps, pointing out some of the elements that can still inspire authentic pastoral health care today. Amongst these there was the construction of the medieval hospitia along the main roads of communication, which were for the poor, the sick and the pilgrims; the foundation of the substantial lay orders for assistance for the sick: the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (later called the Knights of Malta), the Hospital Order of the Holy Spirit, the Hospital Order of Saint Anthony of Vienne (XIII century); the construction of real "lay" hospitals like the Hospital of Saint Mary of Siena, and the Pammatone of Genoa in the XIV century, where spiritual and religious assistance was important anyway; the work of Saint Camillo de Lellis, a great "initiator of reform" in the hospital world, guided by the global vision of the sick person and the equally great work carried out by Saint John of God and the Hospital Order of the Fatebenefratelli (XVII century).