ANCHELLE OF JESUS CHILD. – Institute of sisters founded in Venice by Elena Silvestri, assisted by her sister Annunziata, in 1884. The constitutions were approved by Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto (later Pius X) in 1898, and by the Holy See in 1920. The sisters, who at first were called “Pious Ladies Retired,” dedicate themselves to schooling and to teaching catechism to children preparing for their first Communion.
ANCHELLE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. – Religious institute that originated in 1850 through the work of a pious and noble gentleman, Edmondo Bojanowski, with the approval of the bishop of Gnesen and Posen. Despite the many difficulties posed by the Russian government, the institute developed notably and by 1860 already had 18 houses. In 1877 its suppression was decreed and the sisters were forced to wear secular dress. No longer able to dedicate themselves to the instruction of youth, they turned to the care of the sick. After the founder’s death (1871), differences of language, character, and political conditions in the nations where the institute had spread caused it to split into four distinct branches. That of Gnesen-Posen retained the original title and became sui juris in 1897. It was approved by the Holy See in 1930 and now has 70 houses with over 400 religious. Silverio Mattei