By the 12th century, the abbey was home to a community of canons regular.

In the 12th century the church was enlarged to serve a community of Augustinian canons.

Eventually all the various regional communities of canons regular in Portugal came to be a part of this Order.

They were designed to house God, the saints and the early communities of monks and canons who worshipped regularly within them.

Soon afterwards, a community of Augustinian canons was growing around this church.

Pernegg became a community of canons in 1584.

The first communities of canons adopted these sermons as their basis of organization.

St. Theotonius founded this community of canons regular and served as their first prior.

At Wells, he was accused of destroying the community of canons there, which had been created by his predecessor.

It became a center of religious life and a community of canons developed in the church.