Confraternities

The origins, nature, and purposes of sacramental confraternities are essential aspects for understanding the flourishing of these brotherhoods in the Catholic world, especially after the Council of Trent. An example can be found in the case of the Córdoba town of Espejo: a confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament that emerged in a rural setting and reached heights of true splendor. The feast of Corpus Christi and its octave, in which this sacramental institution played a special role, were utilized by ecclesiastical and civil authorities, who joined forces to achieve their respective objectives: to comply with the dictates of higher authority…