Originally posted by Exarchus
I've heard of it but can't remember the name, it was an order of people that would sacrifice themselves by offering themselves as hostages in exchange of pilgrims. Could someone please help me out about them? |
Probably you refer to the Royal and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy of the Redemption of the Captives. Besides the three ordinary vows, the Mercedarians (as they were also called) took as fourth vow to exchange themselves for another Christian fellow who was prisoner or slave of the enemies of the Faith (Muslims above all).
The Order was founden in Middle Ages in Spain. Italian wikipedia says that during 130 years, after the foundation of the Order, they ransomed about 52.000 Christians from their muslim masters.
The Order exists today in seventeen countries.