Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives | |
| Latin: Ordo Sanctissimae Trinitatis et Captivorum | |
 Flag of the Trinitarians | |
 Mosaic of Jesus Christ used as the emblem of the Trinitarians | |
| Abbreviation | OSsT |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Trinitarians |
| Formation | 17 December 1198 |
| Founders | John of Matha and Felix of Valois |
| Type | Mendicant order |
| Purpose | To ransom Christian captives |
| Headquarters | Basilica of San Crisogono Rome, Italy |
Membership (2018) | 610 (415 priests)[1] |
Minister General | Luigi Buccarello, OSsT |
Parent organization | Catholic Church |
| Website | trinitari |
The Trinitarians, formally known as the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives (Latin: Ordo Sanctissimae Trinitatis et Captivorum; abbreviated OSsT), is a mendicant order of the Catholic Church for men founded in Cerfroid, outside Paris, in the late 12th century. From the very outset, a special dedication to the mystery of the Holy Trinity has been a constitutive element of the order's life.
Papal documents refer to the founder only as Brother John, but tradition identifies him as John de Matha, whose feast day is celebrated on 17 December. The founding-intention for the order was the ransom of Christians held captive by Muslims, a consequence of crusading and of piracy along the Mediterranean coast of Europe.[2]
- ^ "Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives (O.SS.T.)". GCatholic.
- ^ "About the Trinitarians: Our Roots". www.trinitarians.org. Retrieved 2017-06-19.