Christian Cyclopedia

1. Military order dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem; came from Palestine to Bohemia 1217; later devoted to care of sick and education. 2. Military religious order authorized 1257 by Henry III to open a house near Cambridge. 3. Followers of J. Hus sometimes called Bethlehemites after the name of the ch. in Prague where he preached. 4. Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Bethlehem founded 1459 by Pius II as Aegean defense against Turks. 5. Hospitaler order (Belemites) which grew out of Pedro de San José de Betancourt's (Betancur, Bethencourt; d. 1667) care of children, sick, and poor in Guatemala. Innocent XI placed it under Augustinian rule 1687.