Enclosed religious orders of the Christian church have solemn vows with a strict separation from the affairs of the external world. The term cloistered is synonymous with enclosed. The "enclosure" is regulated by Catholic church law,^[1] and prevents members from going out of the religious house, and also prevents strangers from entering the monastery, convent or abbey. The stated purpose for such enclosure is to prevent distraction from prayer and the religious life. The ecclesiastical penalties for disobeying the rules of enclosure include excommunication. Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A Cloister is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ...

Enclosed orders of men include the Cistercians and the Carthusians and enclosed orders of women include the Augustinian nuns, Dominican nuns, Carthusian nuns, the Carmelites and the Tyburn nuns. Cistercians coat of arms The Order of Cistercians (OCist) (Latin: ), otherwise White Monks (from the colour of the habit, over which a black scapular or apron is sometimes worn) is a Roman Catholic order of enclosed monks. ... A Carthusian Monastery in Jerez, Spain The Carthusians are a Christian religious order founded by St Bruno in 1084. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ... A Carthusian Monastery in Jerez, Spain The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. ... The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... Tyburn may refer to: Tyburn, London, a former village in London, United Kingdom Tyburn (stream), London, UK Tyburn, West Midlands, a ward in Birmingham, UK Category: ...

The English word monk more properly refers to men in enclosed life, while the term friar more properly refers to men in monastic life who are active in the broader world (like Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians). Although the English word "nun" is often used to describe Christian women who have joined religious orders, strictly speaking, female church members are referred to as nuns only when they live in enclosure, otherwise they are "sisters" or "female clergy." The distinctions between the Christian terms monk, nun, friar, brother, and sister are sometimes easily blurred because some orders (such as the Dominicans or Augustinians) include nuns (who are enclosed) and sisters (who work in the broader world), as well as friars (who are not enclosed). Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... A friar is a member of a religious mendicant order of men. ... Franciscans is the common name used to designate a variety of mendicant religious orders of men or women tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi and following the Rule of St. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ... A friar is a member of a religious mendicant order of men. ... The Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo (died AD 430), are several Roman Catholic monastic orders and congregations of both men and women living according to a guide to religious life known as the Rule of Saint Augustine. ...

Notes

1. ^ The Code of Canon Law, Canon 667 ff. English translation copyright 1983 The Canon Law Society Trust [1]

See also

• cenobitic monasteries
• The Code of Canon Law, cf canons 667 ff.
• New Advent Encyclopaedia III ff. on "Nuns, properly so called
• "Cloister" in the New Advent encyclopaedia
• Augustinian nuns
• The Cistercians in Australia
• The meaning of enclosure according to the Dominican nuns
• New Advent Encyclopaedia on "Religious Life