Brotherhood of Saint James the Elder
The brotherhood of St. James the Elder in Solothurn was founded on July 26, 1654 in Solothurn and still exists today. Its purpose is to worship the Apostle James the Elder . Legal nature: Pia Fundatio (pious foundation).
The brotherhood system in old Solothurn
It was an expression of the religious spirit of the Middle Ages that not only the guilds , but also all other guilds and professional associations were closely connected with the church. The brotherhoods of Solothurn that still exist today are witnesses of Solothurn's Catholic past. Its origins can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
The brotherhoods differ from the guilds and closed religious associations (orders, etc.) by the voluntary association of their members; they are not established by the church, only approved. However, they are subject to ecclesiastical authority, can only come into being with their approval and are erected under the title of a religious secret or a saint in a particular church or at a particular altar.
Of the former five brotherhoods that have survived to this day: the Romaner (founded in 1774), the St. Lucas, the St. Margrithen, the St. Valentine and the St. Jacob brotherhood (founded 1654) .
The Brotherhood of Saint James
The St. Jakob Brotherhood is the youngest of the four remaining brotherhoods in Solothurn . On July 26, 1654, a few honorable citizens came together in the guild to become shipmen. They may have come to celebrate their name day together, for thirteen of the nineteen brothers present and enrolled bore the name of the calendar saint that fell on that day. They decided to establish a brotherhood in honor of God and for the healing of their souls under the title of Saint Jacob the Greater.
Deed of incorporation
On the day it was founded (July 16, 1654), a log book that is still available today was started. Since the foundation, all brotherhood masters, conductors and members are known by name. Here the first page from the founding protocol is quoted (all information on this topic comes from the only available source):
Origin and order
The brother creates Sancti Jacobi Apostoli, starting the 26th day of July 1654
"That beautiful and glorious deeds in spiritual and political matters, even from a bad beginning, and be done without sacrifice, could be done with Villem, if food was not known to everyone, and indeed, that geystlich whose encounter one does know that the majority Theill, of the foundations, the order of Leuth had a small beginning, afterwards to take such a thing, planted in advance that Seye Now, many have heard only a word or two of holy history, Is immediately gone into himself, and his change changed, Others have spoken shamefully about something to Etwan, are better reported, and have been brought to a godly stand, Vill are during their lifetime, have been good and have been frustrated, have also not been separated there with waves - have asked another to pray for their soul salvation , Undt guette Werch zethuen. The hope of Our Lord God to pitting for you once was the cause of the present brotherhood.
Apart from the same small beginning and almost smaller ones, quite a few guette, and honorable burgers have already created a brother here, to promote Under the titul of the holy apostle Jakobi the greater, to greater honor Gotteß, undt Heill your fellows. Eß has admittedly that Ansechen Alß Solte thinks this, wins a bad outcome, And only rejects it shamefully, because Eß with the Imyß Eessen, and with the drink it has been brought about that one only eats whining and Bachish dishes. But the H: Geist - who wan undt where he wants, works, not counting what Orth or Eusserlichen Circumstanzen, but had these authentic citizens, so far illuminated that they have brought your propositum and will in what.
So eat with you, who are there with Imyß, with the bystander Gotteß Steiff and have been confirmed (which will be partly your patron, also others), today for now, and so on - Under Another Alß Bruoder creates brothers in discipline, honor, friden , Einigkheit, Undt Christenliche Liebe, in the protection of Gotteß Mariae, Jacobi, Undt Allen Heiligen Ehr, for that Heyll to pite and stay in the general Christian Church; To comfort someone else in disgracefulness, to jump in sicknesses, and to indulge himself in all Christian exercises, Should also this Godselliger Eyfer, with your name have created the Tittull of Jacoben, because there are others too, those Jacobß-brothers Nenet, who later Compostell zue deß H: Jacobi Leib peregrinations on Nemen.
You have also found Guet about this promise that one has an amp every year, From H: Jacobi on his feast day, that all the brothers should be present, and if someone should die between the year, he'll be held a sellampt on this Everybody has shown his liberality and freedom, in which one asserts an authentic sum from everyone, partly promised, partly parceled out, brought together, and a conductor, concreieriert on you - and has been placed behind him, so that some can lay down the unchosten Who in Divine Service as Chertzen, Andt priestly Andt of the like, would like to Uflauffen, but not in profane, Andt Gastereyen to use what about staying, Etwan brother to the poor Chrankhen, or otherwise - needy people instead of giving away, or the Apprentices, and handlers companions, so that food can be endured to khomen.
Sye also want that outside of this, a pretty candles, of wax, be bought, which at the ampt H.Mess, should be lit, And if a brother or death is carried before the light, as well as any other brother or one of his picks, or wan one defend negligently, 5. Bz. Put in the cans, And because the incom is still small, So it was found that byß in his time, everyone gave a small amount to pay the Cantores.
In suma this gathering had nothing to leave behind, that to a godly brother creates, wants to serve to fan, submitting himself to spiritual and worldly superiority at all times.
Joan Jacob Bernhard First bruoderschaffsmeister Byß, conductor "
The members and the board
The Saint James Brotherhood was not an association of citizens of a particular professional group or of those with similar interests. It brought together brothers from all classes and professions who were brought together by the need for more active religious activity in a free association without spiritual guidance, perhaps or very likely also by the desire for sociable union among like-minded people. Its first members were:
People's priest Victor Keller, Jakob Wäber, Jakob Anziger, Doctor Jakob Tscharandi, Jakob Byß, Jakob Böschung, Jakob Bernhardt, Jakob Lyßer, Jakob Vogelsang, Jakob Vogelsang, the aforementioned son, Jakob Vogel, Jakob Graf, Jakob Heid, Jakob Kapeller, Christoph Wioll , Georg Gotthard, Christoph Byß, Urs Zeltner the younger, Johannes Münzer. In the first place is the people's priest of the city. The clergymen from St. Ursenstift seem to have preferred to join the brotherhood of St. James , because in the following decades we repeatedly come across the names of canons, cantors and chaplains among the brothers who were accepted.
Individual evidence
- ^ Fritz Jenny, 1954: History of the Brotherhood of Sancti Iacobi Apostoli zu Solothurn ; written to celebrate the three hundredth anniversary. This publication was only printed in limited numbers and was never available in bookshops.