A member of a medieval Christian sect that emphasized strict poverty and brotherhood, particularly followers of certain Franciscan movements.
From Italian 'fratricelli', the plural of 'fraticello' (little brother), diminutive of 'frate' from Latin 'frater' (brother). The term was applied to various heretical and reform movements in medieval Europe.
The Fratricelli were so committed to rejecting wealth that the Pope actually persecuted them—it's a wild moment in history where being *too* humble and poor got you branded a heretic!
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