Bernardines

The Bernardines - the Catholic religious order of monks. It separated from the order of Cistercians after its reorganization by Bernard de Clairvaux in the XII century. The Bernardines were also called Franciscan monks that adhered strictly to the charter of their order. They settled down in Cathedral of St.Bernard in Krakow in 1453. The order took an intermediate position to the observance of monastic discipline among smaller and strict charters of St.Francis of Assisi. The Bernardines were one of the most popular types of Polish monasticism, sharply distinguished from other black clergy. The monks were stood out for their piety and sincerity, not fanatical religiosity, were often well educated, always cheerful and enjoyed popularity among people.
The Bernardines appeared in Belarus in 1468. In Grodno Bernardine monastery was founded in 1494 by Alexander, the great Duke of Lithuania, but the stone church was built only in 1695. Bernardine monasteries located in Niasvizh, Zaslav, Minsk, Slonim, Ivie, Druya, Slutsk, Mozyr, Berezina, etc.