2. Evolution of the Marian spirit in the period before the Second Council of Lyons

When some of the friars descended from Monte Senario in 1250 to form communities in Florence and Siena, and then later in other cities of central Italy, the original spirit of poverty, penance, and contemplative prayer, proper to an eremitical foundation like Monte Senario, was adapted to fit new circumstances. In fact at a general chapter of 1257, the capitulars sent two friars to the Roman Curia to obtain the reversal of restrictions placed on their apostolic activities with regard to hearing confessions of the faithful (especially of women), admitting them to services in their churches, and permitting burials of the faithful in their churches.14 

It was during this period that the Constitutions received their general structure. Although the earliest version of the Servite Constitutions (Constitutiones antiquae) which we possess today, in its present form dates from about 1295, many of the articles are of a much earlier date. In fact, several of the chapters of the Servite Constitutions were borrowed from the Dominican constitutions of Raymond of Peñafort and also from decrees of the Dominican general chapters up to 1256-1257 (but not from later decrees) and from the Franciscan constitutions of 1260. It would seem, therefore, that the basic structure dates from around 1260. This is important to note, because the first chapter of the Servite Constitutions was entitled "De reverentiis Beatae Mariae Virginis." This codified the Marian practices of the Order, and although we cannot be sure that all the practices listed in 1295 were present in the period before the Second Council of Lyons, it appears probable that this Marian chapter in its substance was already present.15 

And of course it is impossible to know how many of these practices indeed date from the Monte Senario experience itself.

The reverentiae to Our Lady found in the first chapter of the Servite Constitutions recall the eight servitia listed by the Dominican Humbert of Romans in his "Expositio super constitutiones fratrum praedicatorum." In his commentary, he lists these eight servitia or services to Our Lady:

1. That they praise, bless and preach Mary and her Son, through the office of preaching.

2. That the first office in the morning and the last at night be the office of Our Lady.

3. That they have a special procession daily in her honor after Compline.

4. That they bow at her name.

5. That they always and everywhere recite her office standing.

6. That they make their profession and obedience also to her:

"I make profession and obedience to God and Blessed Mary

. . ." (He then adds that this is not found in other orders.)

7. That on Saturdays the entire office in the church be of Mary, unless for some legitimate reason.

8. That when anything is sung in church about Mary, the friars should sing more devoutly and more solemnly.16

14 This notarized document can be found in Dal Pino, I frati Servi di s. Maria, 2:227-228.

15 See Dal Pino, I frati Servi di s. Maria, 1:1050-1051. He had treated this subject earlier in his article "Il ‘De Reverentiis Beatae Mariae Virginis’ nelle Costituzioni dei Servi di Maria," Studi Storici O.S.M. 5 (1953): 202-253. Dal Pino also studied the Marian practices in the Servite Order in his article "Madonna santa Maria e l’Ordine dei suoi Servi nel 1° secolo di storia (1233-1317 ca.)," Studi Storici O.S.M. 17 (1967): 5-70. This article was reprinted, santa Maria e l’Ordine dei suoi Servi nel loro 1° secolo di storia (1245-1317 ca.)," in Spazi e figure lungo la storia dei Servi di Maria (secoli XIII-XX), Italia sacra, 55 (Rome: Herder, 1997), 69-147.

 16 Humbert of Romans, Opera de vita regulari (Rome: Typis A. Befani, 1889), 2:70-71.