Francesco Arcelli, an Italian monk at the service of Bourbon Spain

Abstract

The 18th century was a time of considerable challenges for monastic life, both in general and for specific congregations. Let us recall such events as the abolition of Jesuit reductions in Paraguay, expelling Jesuits from Portugal and Spain, the dissolution of the Society of Jesus, the closure of hundreds of monastic houses as part of Josephine reforms or cruel repressive measures towards clergy during the French Revolution. Despite attempts at questioning the presence of orders in public space, they still played a significant role in many areas of social life, in the realm of culture and education. Despite service appropriate to monastic charismata, there were monks in royal courts, monks with important functions in state administration, in diplomacy, at universities, schools, charitable and cultural institutions. Francesco Arcelli was one of such monks, who combined, with better or worse results, serving God by their involvement in lay, public and state matters. In the early modern era such activity of religious orders was nothing extraordinary, especially among the Spanish Catholic monarchy.