Penitents' confraternities exist in Spain, southern France, Monaco, Italy, the Balkans, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, and the Americas.

[3] The "Devout and Respectable Confraternity of the White Penitents of Montpellier"[4] is placed under "the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the protection of the Virgin Mary, especially dedicated to Saint Foy, and consecrated to the Sacred Heart.

As in any association, certain functions, called offices, are entrusted to elected members, including the treasurer, master of ceremonies, secretary, choir leader, archivist, and syndics assigned specific tasks.

In the upper section, painted medallions and angel motifs alternate above the doors, created by Antoine Ranc and his workshop at the end of the 17th century.

This type of confraternity, or sodality, emerged in the Middle Ages from the desire of laity to adopt communal prayer practices akin to monks while maintaining family life and professional activities.

[17] During the 17th and 18th centuries, the confraternity grew significantly, undertaking various charitable works, including assisting the sick, providing funeral services, and accompanying the condemned to execution.