the Piarist order

Sch. P. = Ordo Clericorum Regularium Paupernum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum = the order of poor regulated priests of pious schools named after God's Mother. It was a regulated order, which was founded by St József of Kalazanc (1556-1648) in Rome in 1579. It was finally acknowledged by the Pope in 1621. The main goal of the order was to educate poor students. It got its Hungarian name from the derivation of the Latin name of pious schools (scholae piae). These Piarist schools satisfied the great demand for education in the 17th century, first of all in Italy and Central Europe. It was popular because of its flexibility and ability to adopt to different, changing circumstances. In Hungary their first convent was opened in 1642 in Podolon. Until 1950 they functioned at 40 places in historical Hungary, and they played a very important role in modern secondary education.

MA