The highest-ranking religious brotherhood or association, typically established by the church to organize charitable activities and promote spiritual devotion among its members.
From arch- (Greek arkhi-, meaning chief or supreme) combined with confraternity (from Medieval Latin confraternitas, derived from Latin frater meaning 'brother'). These associations emerged in medieval times as the principal religious fraternal organizations.
Archconfraternities were so respected that the Pope himself would grant them special powers—members could earn spiritual 'bonus points' (indulgences) faster than regular believers, which made joining worth the cost of membership fees!
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