The Poor Clares of Sant'Orsola Convent: Background information when reading Fair Rosaline

The Poor Clares of Sant'Orsola Convent

This article relates to Fair Rosaline

In Natasha Solomons' novel Fair Rosaline, the eponymous heroine is destined for life in a convent – specifically Sant'Orsola in Mantua, Italy. Margherita Gonzaga d'Este, a wealthy widow, commissioned the convent in the early 17^th century, sparing no expense; she hired architect and artist Antonio Maria Viani to design the building, and commissioned artwork for it from the best regional artists of the day. When completed in 1612, it was comprised of a square of fifty rooms framing a large courtyard, with an octagonal church anchoring it at one corner; the complex spanned a full city block.

The convent was one of many across Europe built for the Poor Clares, an order of Franciscan nuns formed in 1212 by St. Clare of Assisi under the direction of St. Francis of Assisi. Poor Clares took vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and enclosure (that is, they agreed to live their entire lives behind the convent walls).

Girls and women became nuns for various reasons. For many, it was a vocation – a true expression of their faith and a natural outgrowth of their love for the Divine. Some saw the convent as a safe haven; it was a world predominantly free from the influence of men, and it liberated them from the dangers of childbirth and the uncertainties that could accompany widowhood. It was also the only way most women could obtain an education at the time, so others became nuns because of their love of learning.

Up to a quarter of the women in Italy's convents, however, were from elite families and had no choice in the matter. Convents were a convenient way for these families to rid themselves of women who were deemed unmarriageable (for instance, those with disabilities or who were "ungovernable") and provided financial relief to parents who couldn't afford to marry off multiple daughters (or who were simply disinclined to spend the money on women they felt had limited utility). Families placing daughters in a convent paid an optional fee, usually a sum much lower than a marriage dowry. Women whose families gave large amounts of money were in a better position at the convent than most; upon their entrance they were provided with a lavishly furnished private cell rather than consigned to life in the common dormitory, and they were generally given lighter work.

Regardless of how a woman ended up in a convent, once she took vows, she would very likely remain inside the convent walls for the rest of her life. Leaving was rare, since those who might have wanted to usually had nowhere to go and no way to make a living. In addition, the few who did leave were deemed apostates and automatically excommunicated – meaning they were excluded from church sacraments and not allowed a Christian burial. If found, they could be forcibly returned to the convent, where they would spend their life atoning in the hopes God might forgive them after death.

Life within Sant'Orsola revolved around the officium, a set of canonical hours established by the Roman Catholic Church that set aside specific times of the day for prayer and meditation (Lauds in the early morning, Prime at daybreak, Vespers at sunset, etc.). Between these mandatory services the women did their work, which might include composing music, writing letters to donors, copying and illustrating texts, authoring books, or embroidering cloth (Clare of Assisi is the patron saint of needlework and embroidery). They also tended gardens and grew their own food, cleaned the convent, and prepared meals for their fellow nuns.

In the 18^th century, Italy – as well as most of Europe – underwent a period during which religious orders were suppressed, and the nuns of Sant'Orsola were caught up in the persecution. The convent was closed in 1782, after which the building was converted first into an army barracks and later a hospital. Although most of the complex was destroyed during World War II, the church itself survived and is a popular tourist destination today.

The church of Sant'Orsola in Mantua, Italy. May 8, 2011 (CC-BY-3.0)

Filed under People, Eras & Events

This "beyond the book article" relates to Fair Rosaline. It originally ran in October 2023 and has been updated for the May 2024 paperback edition. Go to magazine.