Oratorian

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A member of a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Saint Philip Neri in the 16th century, dedicated to prayer and preaching
2. A person belonging to a Catholic religious community established in the 16th century by Saint Philip Neri that focuses on worship and the art of public speaking
3. An individual affiliated with a Catholic congregation formed by Saint Philip Neri during the 1500s, committed to prayer, education, and preaching

Etymology: Philip Neri, a priest who worked in Rome, gathered clergy and laypeople for informal evenings of prayer, hymn singing, and spiritual talks. They met in a room set aside for prayer, and the group took its name from that room, the oratory. Members of his congregation became known as Oratorians. The root is Latin "orare," meaning "to speak, plead, or pray," which also gives English "oration" and "orator." Latin "oratorium" meant a place of prayer, and English "oratory" still names a small private chapel. The name therefore described a room before it described a community.