Pilgrim Fathers

PILGRIM FATHERS. - In England, in the 16th century, alongside the official Church two dissenting groups formed: the Puritans (v.) and the Separatists, who wanted complete separation from the established Church.

This movement was given form and doctrine by Browne, whose followers were called Brownists, but once this name had become odious because of his attitudes, it was changed to that of Independents and then to that of Congregationalists. The hostility of the Anglicans forced them to emigrate to the continent; many took refuge in Amsterdam in 1608, and then, under the leadership of John Robinson (v.), in Leiden; but after some years of hardship they decided to go to the English colonies of North America. The first company, made up of about a hundred families, embarked on the Mayflower, a small ship of 180 tons, and landed at Cape Cod (Massachusetts) on 21 Dec. 1620. This first group was called that of the P. F. They professed the strictest Congregationalism; ministers were chosen and ordained by the faithful; among ministers there was no distinction. They still regarded the king of England as their temporal sovereign, but did not recognize him as head of the church. About 10 years later numerous groups of Puritans arrived, who settled not far away, and the descendants of the "pilgrim fathers" slowly merged with the Puritans of Massachusetts, forming with them the most intolerant colony in all of English America.

Camillo Crivelli