Penitente

[pen-i-ten-tey, -tee]

noun

1. a member of a confraternity, chiefly in Spanish American communities in New Mexico, known for their practice of self-flagellation, especially during Holy Week.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Penitente¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from Spanish, literally, “penitent,” singular of Penitentes, short for Los Hermanos Penitentes “the penitent brothers”

Example Sentences

Lacking enough priests to serve the far-flung outposts, the Penitente Brothers helped fill the gap.

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On Thursday, Penitente Brothers from the nearby village of Cordova knelt near the altar and recited the rosary for an hour in Spanish.

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The Santuario was built by Don Bernardo Abeyta, a member of the Penitente Brothers, a Catholic lay order once known for extreme acts of penance including self-flagellation.

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A devout Catholic, he’s also a Penitente.

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And so I found that the mafia penitente, and that’s the term the Italians used, penitent, almost to have a religious type conversion and they’ll do what needs to be done in pursuit of the new goal.

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