The New International Encyclopædia/Bridge-Building Brotherhood

BRIDGE-BUILDING BROTHERHOOD (Lat. Fratres Pontifices). A religious fraternity formed in the south of France in the latter half of the Twelfth Century, to build bridges and keep ferries. As the Church considered such labors meritorious, the societies spread and grew rich. According to tradition, the shepherd boy, Bénézet, received a revelation that he must build a bridge across the Rhone at Avignon. Accordingly, he went to the bishop and told his story, but was repulsed. The provost, however, aided him and work was begun in 1177. The bridge was not completed until 1185, and Bénézet, dying in the meantime, was buried in the chapel in one of the columns of the bridge. He was afterwards canonized. Either the fame of Saint Bénézet, or compassion for persons who were forced to pay large tolls, led to the founding of a brotherhood for the purpose of carrying on the work of bridge-building, and in 1189 Clement III. sanctioned the order. Similar brotherhoods were formed in other parts of France and in the north of Italy. They labored very hard for a time, but soon the possession of wealth led to idleness. In 1277 the Brotherhood of Bonpas wished to unite with the Templars, but instead Nicholas III. united the order with the Knights of Saint John (1278). Other bridge-building brotherhoods continued their activity for nearly three centuries until the dissolution of the order by Pius II. Consult Grégoire, Recherches historiques sur les congrégations hospitalières des frères pontifes (Paris, 1818).