Abstract

The article analyses unpublished instructions written by a vice-prior of the Order of St. John in the late seventeenth century. They were directed at the conventual chaplains providing religious support to knights, soldiers and crew (including slave rowers) during the naval campaigns of the Order galleys, the so-called "caravane". On one hand the work was inspired by literature on the "Christian soldier" (whose authors were often Jesuits), on the other it brought together the spiritual care issues directly experienced by the same chaplains on board. What emerged is their lack of preparation in fully accomplishing their pastoral duties in the cramped and mixed space of the galley, where the specific recommendation of Tridentine separation between sacred and profane was almost impossible to respect. The instructions dealt particularly with the following pastoral issues: attending to cases of conscience regarding the most frequent "galley sins" (such as heresy, sorcery, blasphemy, perusing prohibited books, duelling), administration of sacraments, compliance with devotions and fasts, behaviour during conflict, preaching, conversion of infidels and Christian instruction of neophytes.