Abstract
This text studies the work carried out by the Congregation of the Oratory - especially in the Captaincy of Pernambuco. It also discusses its pedagogy and its relevance to the studies in the field of history of education in Brazil. The research is bibliographic and document-based. The educational activity of the Oratorians was developed from the Crown’s and the Portuguese society’s elite demands. The royal privileges enabled the Oratorians to enter the field of education as an alternative to Jesuit teaching. Their actions also had repercussions outside the Portuguese metropolis, as they happened in Pernambuco - in Portuguese America - and in Goa. The political, religious, and educational role of the Oratorians was relevant between the 17th and 18th centuries and lasted until 1830. The Oratorian schools were focused on the study of the national language rather than Latin. In addition, there was a strong emphasis on mathematics, natural sciences, history related to geography, and experimentation.
Keywords:
History of Education; Religion; Oratorians; Pedagogy