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Conception of the Virgin Mary.

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1. The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, a doctrine of the Church of Rome. (See IMMACULATE CONCEPTION).

2. MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE CONCEPTION OF MARY.

(1.) ORDER OF KNIGHTS OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. In 1617 three Italian noblemen of the family De Petrignan announced their intention to establish a military order under the above name, whose object was to be to fight against all infidels and heretics. The plan was not executed, but in 1618 an order under the same name was established in Vienna. According to some writers the first impulse came from one of the brothers De Petrignan; but the bull by which pope Urban VIII, in 1623, confirmed the order, mentions only Ferdinand, duke of Mantua, Charles, duke of Nevers, and Adolphus, count of Athlan, as founders. The order did not exist long. — Helyot, Dict. des Ordres Relig. 1:1077 sq.

(2.) Nuns of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, also called Conceptionists. An order under this name was in 1484 founded by Beatrix de Sylva at Toledo, in Spain. It was sanctioned in 1489 by pope Innocent VIII. Cardinal Ximenes united this order with that of the Clarisses, the rule of which they adopted with some modifications. Pope Julius II, in 1511, gave to the Conceptionists a special rule, but they continued to be a part of the order of the Clarisses.

(3.) Congregation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin was the name of congregations of lay-women which were established in connection with the convents of the congregation of Notre Dame, founded by Peter Fourier (q. v,.).