Societies of Mercy in the Conditions of Plague: Social and Existential Contribution

Annotation

The socio-philosophical analysis of the activities of the most influential charitable companies during the plague of the XIV–XV centuries is presented in the article. The author interests the significance of these voluntary groups for the society experiencing the most severe epidemics. Examples of the charity practices of the oldest Florentine fraternities (Or San Michele, Bigallo and Misericordia) demonstrate how the confraternity maintained the social dimension of life in the plague-stricken city and senses of their active participation to the needy facilitated the situation of witnesses of the epidemic.

Keywords

mercy, epidemic, voluntary societies, confraternity, charity, cohesion, social responsibility.

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