the chapter of Székesfehérvár, Paulians, prioress
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A community chapter founded by king St Stpehen in the honour of the Virgin Mary. It was one of the most significant church institutions of Hungary in the Middle Ages. Originally it was a royal private chapter with special church privileges: it was exempted from the authority of the bishop of Veszprém and came under the direct authority of the Holy See. King Stephen and his son, Prince Emeric, were buried in the huge, three-nave basilica. Coloman, Charles I, Matthias, Ulaslo II and Louis II had important constructions built in the basilica, and were also buried here. (Out of the 37 Hungarian kings, who died between 1038 and 1534, 15 were buried here.) Its guard canon was responsible for the royal crown, the royal flags, and Hungarian kings were crowned here. The leader of the church, the prepost, was considered a prelate, although he was not a bishop. Officially he was member of the royal counsel and he often held important offices in the government (chancellor). The chapter, together with the one in Óbuda, was a national credible place.
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Paulians
It was the only medieval monastic order founded in Hungary. The founder, Özséb, canon of Esztergom, went to live in a cave on the Pilis mountain around 1250, then he founded the Holy Cross monastery in the Pilis (today Klastrompuszta) together with his companions. In 1308, cardinal Gentilis, papal minister gave permission to use St Augustine's regulations. From 1309 they placed their centre in the monastery at Budaszentlőrinc. Pope Gregorius IX put them under the direct authority of the Holy See. In 1381 Louis I brought St Paul the Hermit's relics from Venice, which were then kept at Budaszentlőrinc. Bible translator, Ladislaus Bátori (†1456), the famous preacher, Albert Csanády (†1492), and abbot Gregor Gyöngyösi, who wrote the history of the order after 1520, were all members of the order,
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prioress
A name referring to the abess of a nunnery. It is the equivalent of the word for abbot, prior. Prior and prioress both originate from the Latin language.
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