lay brother
English
Noun
lay brother (plural lay brothers or lay brethren)
- (Christianity) A layman who is a member of a brotherhood without the intention to become a priest.
- In feudal days lay brothers were usually uneducated commoners, who did most menial, manual labor while the learned priestly monks held the more spiritual jobs.
- 2010, WHY A LAY BROTHER?, Franciscan Friars
- The male branch of the Franciscan family, a community of Lesser Brothers, is made up of men who are both clergy and consecrated laity traditionally called "lay brothers".
Related terms
Translations
a layman who is a member of a brotherhood without the intention to become a priest
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