conversi

Conversi is a term used in Italian and in ecclesiastical Latin with several overlapping meanings. In general use, it can refer to people who have converted to a different faith. Etymologically, it derives from the Latin participle conversus, meaning turned toward or converted. In modern Italian, the common term for someone who has changed faith is convertito or convertita, while conversi appears primarily in historical or religious contexts.

In medieval and early modern Christianity, conversi referred to lay brothers who joined a monastery, took simple vows, and lived under monastic rule without being ordained as monks. They typically performed manual labor, hospitality, and other routine duties essential to the monastery’s functioning. As distinct from full monks (monachi), conversi had a different status and path within the community, though their life was closely tied to the monastic order. The use of the term varied across orders and regions, including Benedictine, Cistercian, and Augustinian communities, among others. Over time, reforms and organizational changes in some houses altered or clarified the roles and privileges of conversi in relation to ordained monks.

Today, the term is largely historical in the context of monastic life. In contemporary Italian, conversi as a designation for monastic lay brothers is rarely used outside scholarly or historical discussions. For someone who has changed religion in modern usage, convertito is the standard term.

The word also appears as a surname in some regions. See also convert, lay brother, monastic life.