''Abbé'' (from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, in turn from Greek , , from

Aramaic Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...

''abba'', a title of honour, literally meaning "the father, my father", emphatic state of ''abh'', "father") is the French word for an

abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...

. It is also the title used for lower-ranking Catholic

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

in France who are not members of

religious order A religious order is a subgroup within a larger confessional community with a distinctive high-religiosity lifestyle and clear membership. Religious orders often trace their lineage from revered teachers, venerate their Organizational founder, ...

History

concordat A concordat () is a convention between the Holy See and a sovereign state that defines the relationship between the Catholic Church and the state in matters that concern both,René Metz, ''What is Canon Law?'' (New York: Hawthorn Books, 1960 ...

between Pope Leo X and King François I of France (1516) cites III under Kinds of Abbot gave the monarchs of France the right to nominate 255 commendatory abbot">Francis I of France">King François I of France (1516) cites III under Kinds of Abbot gave the monarchs of France the right to nominate 255 commendatory abbots () for almost all French

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christians, Christian monks and nun ...

s, who received income from a monastery without needing to render service, creating, in essence, a sinecure. From the mid-16th century, the title of ''abbé'' has been used in France for all young clergy, with or without

consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

. Their clothes consisted of black or dark violet robes with a small collar, and they were

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

d. Since such ''abbés'' only rarely commanded an

, they often worked in upper-class families as tutors,

spiritual director Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divinity, divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters ...

s, etc.; some (such as Gabriel Bonnot de Mably) became writers. Clerical oblates and seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest also have the honorific title of ''abbé''.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Abbe

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