Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of the mendicant Order of Friars Minor, as painted by El Greco.

Monasticism in Christianity is a way of seeking God, a way of religious living, that is meant to aid a closer following of the example of Jesus Christ than is practically possible for a Christian in ordinary daily living. It is considered to be a calling by God, a vocation. Christians feeling called to enter it do so out of their free will, after prolonged intensive testing. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Saint Francis of Assisi, St. ... The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... El Greco (The Greek, 1541 – April 7, 1614) was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos — a solitary person) is the religious practice in which one renounces worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... This article concerns critical reconstructions of the Historical Jesus. ... A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ...

The monastic life began to develop early in the history of the Christian Church, modelled upon scriptural examples and ideals, though according to the four canonical Gospel accounts not mandated as an institution by Jesus. The earliest form of Christian monasticism, already mentioned in the New Testament, was the life of the widows and virgins. A couple of centuries later some Christians began to embrace the eremitic life, which eventually led to the emergence of the monastic life in community. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... This article concerns critical reconstructions of the Historical Jesus. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... For other uses, see Hermit (disambiguation). ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ...

Those living the monastic life are known by the generic terms monks and nuns, in modern English also by the gender-neutral "monastics". The name for the dwelling of monastics is monastery, whether they live there in community (cenobites) or alone (hermits). A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... In general, a nun is a female ascetic who chooses to voluntarily leave the world and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent. ... A dwelling is a structure in which humans or other animals live. ... For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ... A hermit, also known as an anchorite or anchoress, is a person living in voluntary seclusion, often for religious reasons. ...

Monastic communities, broadly speaking, may be organized into orders and congregations that are being guided by a particular religious rule, such as the Rule of St Benedict or the Rule of St Augustine, and also serve the purpose of their own founder. St. ...

Nowadays the monastic life – also known as Consecrated life and "religious life" – is regulated by the respective Church law of those Christian denominations that recognise it, e.g. the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church. Once a Christian feels called to seek God in the monastic life, it needs to be established whether the vocation is as a member of a religious community or as a consecrated virgin, hermit or widow/widower. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Consecrated Life in... Catholic Church redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Eastern Christianity. ... The Anglican Communion is a world-wide organisation of Anglican Churches. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Consecrated Life in... A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Consecrated Life in...

While many people think of the Christian monastic life – especially that of Catholic monks or nuns – as having "something to do with living in a religious community", its purpose is not communal living with like-minded Christians, but the perpetual training in a way of living that is meant to help those Christians who feel called to dedicated their life to God in accordance with the perfect example given by Jesus, following his exhortation "be ye perfect like your heavenly Father is perfect". This ideal, also called the state of perfection, is expressed everywhere that the things of God are sought above all other things, as seen for example in the Philokalia, a book of monastic writings. A monk or nun is a person who has made a public vow to observe not only the Ten Commandments and the law of their respective Church authority, like every other Christian, but also the counsels of perfection (e.g., chastity, poverty and obedience), or the equivalent Benedictine vow (cf. Rule of St Benedict, ch. 58.17). For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nun (disambiguation). ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ... A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ... This article concerns critical reconstructions of the Historical Jesus. ... The Philokalia (Gk. ... For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nun (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ten Commandments (disambiguation). ... The evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection are poverty, chastity, and obedience. ... St. ...

Precursors of Christian monasticism

Old Testament models of the Christian monastic ideal are the Nazirites and the prophets of Israel; other predecessors are the Essene and the Therapeutae.^[1] Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... Not to be confused with Nazarene. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... The Therapeutae (male, pl. ...

A Nazirite was a person voluntarily separated to the Lord, under a special vow.

2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite, 3 he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink... 5 During the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation to the LORD is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long. 6 Throughout the period of his separation to the LORD he must not go near a dead body.... 8 Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the LORD.' (Numbers 6, NIV)

The prophets of Israel were set apart to the Lord for the sake of a message of repentance. Some of them lived under extreme conditions, voluntarily separated or forced into seclusion because of the burden of their message. Other prophets were members of communities, schools mentioned occasionally in the Scriptures but about which there is much speculation and little known. The pre-Abrahamic prophets, Enoch and Melchizedek, and especially the Jewish prophets Elijah and his disciple Elisha are important to Christian monastic tradition. The most frequently cited "role-model" for the life of a hermit separated to the Lord, in whom the Nazarite and the prophet are believed to be combined in one person, is John the Baptist. John also had disciples who stayed with him and, as may be supposed, were taught by him and lived in a manner similar to his own. The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew ba-midbar במדבר, i. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Students in Rome, Italy. ... Enoch (Hebrew: חֲנוֹךְ; Tiberian: , Standard: ) is a name occurring twice in the generations of Adam. ... Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek — by Dieric Bouts the Elder, 1464–67 Melchizedek or Malki-tzédek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק / מַלְכִּי־צָדֶק, Standard Hebrew Malki-ẓédeq / Malki-ẓádeq, Tiberian Hebrew Malkî-ṣéḏeq / Malkî-ṣāḏeq), sometimes written Malchizedek, Melchisedec, Melchisedech, Melchisedek or Melkisedek, is a figure mentioned by various sects of both Christian and Judaic traditions. ... Elijah, 1638, by José de Ribera This article is about the prophet in the Hebrew Bible. ... Not to be confused with Elishah. ... St. ... In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. ...

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea… 4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Matthew 3, NIV)

The female role models for monasticism are Mary the mother of Jesus and the four virgin daughters of Philip the Evangelist: The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ... Gabriel delivering the Annunciation to Mary. ... Philip the Evangelist appears several times in the Acts of the Apostles but should not be confused with Philip the Apostle. ...

7 On finishing the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, greeted the brothers, and stayed with them for one day. 8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea. We went to the home of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who could prophesy. (Acts 21, NIV)

The monastic ideal is also modeled upon the Apostle Paul, who is believed to have been celibate, and a tentmaker: For the literature genre, see Acts of the Apostles (genre). ... Celibacy refers either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. ...

7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. (1 Corinthians 7, NIV)

But, the consummate prototype of all modern Christian monasticism, communal and solitary, is Jesus: (Redirected from 1 Corinthians) See also: Second Epistle to the Corinthians and Third Epistle to the Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2, NIV)

The first Christian communities lived in common, sharing everything, according to Acts of the Apostles. Philippians redirects here. ... For the literature genre, see Acts of the Apostles (genre). ...

Origins of Christian monasticism

Institutional Christian monasticism seems to have begun in the deserts in AD 4th century Egypt as a kind of living martyrdom. Scholars such as Lester K. Little attribute the rise of monasticism at this time to the immense changes in the church that had been brought about by Constantine's acceptance of Christianity as the main Roman religion. This ended the position of Christians as a small group that believed itself to be the godly elite. In response a new more advanced form of dedication was developed to preserve a nucleus of the dedicated. The end of persecution also meant that martyrdom was no longer an option to prove one's piety. Instead the longterm "martyrdom" of the ascetic became common. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ...

Others point to historical evidence that individuals were living the life later known as monasticism before the legalization of Christianity. In fact it is believed by the Carmelites that they were started by the Jewish prophet Elias. Anthony the Great (251 - 356) and Pachomius were early monastic innovators in Egypt, although Paul the Hermit is the very first Christian historically known to have been living as a monk. Eastern Orthodoxy looks to Basil of Caesarea (ca. 330 - January 1, 379) as a founding monastic legislator, as well as the example of the Desert Fathers. Benedict of Nursia is often credited with being the 'father of Western monasticism'. The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... Elijah, 1638, by José de Ribera This article is about the prophet in the Hebrew Bible. ... Saint Anthony the Great (c. ... Events July 1 – In the Battle of Abrittus, the Goths defeat the Romans; emperors Decius and Herennius Etruscus are killed. ... Events February 8 - Roman authorities make an attempt to arrest Athanasius on the accusation of supporting the usurper Magnentius. ... For the genus of jumping spider, see Pachomius (spider). ... Coptic icon of St. ... Basil (ca. ... Events May 11 - Constantine I refounds Byzantium, renames it New Rome, and moves the capital of the Roman Empire there from Rome. ... January 19 - Theodosius I is elevated as Roman Emperor at Sirmium. ... The Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits who lived in the Sahara desert of Egypt, beginning in about the third century. ... Saint Benedict redirects here. ...

From a very early time there were probably individuals who lived a life in isolation — hermits — in imitation of Jesus' 40 days in the desert. They have left no confirmed archaeological traces and only hints in the written record. Anthony of Egypt lived as a hermit and developed a following of other hermits who lived nearby but not in community with him. On the other hand, Paul the Hermit lived not very far from Anthony in absolute solitude, and was looked upon even by Anthony as a perfect monk. This variety of monasticism is called eremitical or "hermit-like". Pachomius, a follower of Anthony, also acquired a following; he chose to mould them into a community in which the monks lived in individual huts or rooms (cellula in Latin, "cell", which has a different connotation in modern English) but worked, ate, and worshipped in shared space. This method of monastic organization is called cenobitic or "community-based". All the familiar monastic orders are cenobitic in nature. In Catholic theology, this community based living is considered superior because of the obedience practiced and because one is less likely to err than one would be by oneself. The head of a monastery came to be known by the word for "Father" in Syriac, Abba, in English, "Abbot". A hermit, also known as an anchorite or anchoress, is a person living in voluntary seclusion, often for religious reasons. ... For other uses, see Hermit (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hermit (disambiguation). ... For the genus of jumping spider, see Pachomius (spider). ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... The cenobitic tradition is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. ... Syriac is an Eastern Aramaic language that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. ... For other uses, see Abbot (disambiguation). ...

Early History

The first efforts to create a proto-monastery were by Saint Macarius, who established individual cells, an example Kellia founded in 328, known as "larvae", the purpose of which was to bring together individual ascetics who, although pious, did not have the physical ability or skills to live a solitary existences in the desert like that of Saint Anthony. These cells were put together as a large single monastic community by Saint Pachomius around 323 in upper Egypt at Tabenna. Guidelines for daily life were created, and separate monasteries created for men and women. He was hailed as 'Abba' (v.s.). This one community was so successful he was called in to help organize others and by one count by the time he died in 346 there were thought to be 3000 such communities dotting Egypt, especially the Thebaid. Within the span of the next generation this number increased to 7000. From there monasticism quickly spread out first to Palestine and the Judean Desert, Syria, North Africa and eventually the rest of the Roman Empire where it became a central aspect of life during the Middle Ages. Monasteries were initially seen by the Church Bishops and imperial governments in Constantinople and Rome as operating outside the authority of the official Church governance, not to mention the Emperor. There existed a tension between the lay clergy and the monastic orders. Eventually over the course of the Early Middle Ages the influence of monastics came to play an important role in the Church. Some would date the golden age of Christian monasticism from about the eighth to the twelfth century. Saint Macarius of Jerusalem was bishop of Jerusalem from 311/312 to shortly before 335, according to Sozomen. ... Kellia, known as the Cells, and referred to as the innermost desert, was a 4th century Egyptian Christian monastic community located about 12 miles south of Nitria, with Wadi Natrun nearby. ... Events May 9: Athanasius is elected bishop of Alexandria Births Valens, Roman Emperor Wong Tai Sin Deaths April 17: Alexander I, Patriarch of Alexandria Categories: 328 ... Pachomius, who died around AD 345 in Tabennisi, Egypt, was one of the founders of Christian monasticism. ... Events July 3 - Battle of Adrianople: Constantine defeats Licinius, forcing Licinius to retreat to Byzantium. ... Tabenna (Tabennae, Tabennisi) is considered the first cenobitic monastery. ... Events Athanasius is restored as Patriarch of Alexandria. ... The Thebaid is the region of ancient Egypt containing the thirteen southernmost nomes of Upper Egypt, from Abydos to Aswan. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

Eastern Monasticism

See also Eastern Orthodox monks

Analavos worn by Eastern Orthodox Schema-Monks.

Orthodox monasticism does not have Religious Orders as in the West,^[2] so there are no formal Monastic Rules (Regulae); rather, each monk and nun is encouraged to read all of the Holy Fathers, and apply them to his or her religious life. There is also no division between the "active" and "contemplative" life. Orthodox monastic life embraces both active and contemplative aspects. For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ... Download high resolution version (431x722, 42 KB)The Great Schema or Megaloschema - this is my own drawing of what one looks like File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (431x722, 42 KB)The Great Schema or Megaloschema - this is my own drawing of what one looks like File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nun (disambiguation). ... General definition of saint In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ...

There exist in the East three types of monasticism: eremitic and coenobitic (as mentioned above), and a "third way" called the skete. The skete is a very small community, often of two or three (Matthew 18:20), under the direction of an Elder. They will pray privately for most of the week, then come together on Sundays and Feast Days for communal prayer, thus combining aspects of both eremitic and coenobitic monasticism. A skete is a group of hermits following a monastic rule, allowing them to worship in comparative solitude, although with a level of support present not available for a lone hermit. ... St Sergii Radonezhsky was one of the most famous of startsy. ...

Types of Monks

Main article: Degrees of Orthodox monasticism

There are also three levels of monks: The Rassaphore, the Stavrophore, and the Schema-Monk (or Schema-Nun). Each of the three degrees represents an increased level of asceticism. In the early days of monasticism, there was only one level—the Great Schema—and even Saint Theodore the Studite argued against the establishment of intermediate grades, but nonetheless the consensus of the church has favored the development of three distinct levels. The Great Schema worn by Orthodox monks and nuns of the highest degree In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the process of becoming a monk or nun is intentionally slow, as the vows taken are considered to entail a life-long commitment to God, and are not to be entered into... Theodore the Studite ( ca. ...

When a candidate wishes to embrace the monastic life, he will enter the monastery of his choice as a guest and ask to be received by the Hegumen (Abbot). After a period of at least three days the Hegumen may at his discretion clothe the candidate as a novice. There is no formal ceremony for the clothing of a novice; he (or she) would simply be given the Podraznik, belt and Skoufos. Hegumen, hegumenos, or ihumen (Greek: ἡγούμενος , Russian: игумен) is the title for the head of a monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church, similar to the one of abbot. ... // Main article: Buddhist Novitiate In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and studying in preparation for full ordination. ... Clergy in Cassocks A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... A Skufia (also Skufiya or Skoufos) is an item of clerical clothing worn by worn by Orthodox Christian monastics (in which case it is black [1]) or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor (in which case it is usually red or purple). ...

After a period of about three years, the Hegumen may at his discretion Tonsure the novice as a Rassaphore monk, giving him the outer garment called the Rassa (Greek: Rason). A monk (or nun) may remain in this grade all the rest of his life, if he so chooses. But the Rite of Tonsure for the Rassaphore refers to the grade as that of the "Beginner," so it is intended that the monk will advance on to the next level. The Rassaphore is also given a klobuk which he wears in church and on formal occasions. In addition, Rassaphores will be given a prayer rope at their Tonsure. Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Eastern Orthodox Monks wearing klobuks. ... -1...

The next rank, Stavrophore, is the grade that most Russian monks remain all their lives. The name Stavrophore means "cross-bearer", because when Tonsured into this grade the monastic is given a cross to wear at all times. This cross is called a Paramand—a wooden cross attached by ribbons to a square cloth embroidered with the Instruments of the Passion and the words, "I bear upon my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" (Galatians 6:17). The Paramand is so called because it is worn under the Mantle (Greek: Mandyas; Slavonic: Mantya), which is a long cape, which completely covers the monk from neck to foot. Among the Russians, Stavrophores are also informally referred to as "mantle monks." At his Tonsure, a Stavrophore is given a wooden hand cross and a lit candle, as well as a prayer rope. The Passion is the theological term used for the suffering, both physical and mental, of Jesus in the hours prior to and including his trial and execution by crucifixion. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require restructuring. ...

St. Anthony of Kiev wearing the Great Schema.

The highest rank of monasticism is the Great Schema (Greek: Megaloschemos; Slavonic: Schimnik). Attaining the level of Schemamonk is much more common among the Greeks than it is among the Russians, for whom it is normally reserved to hermits, or to very advanced monastics. The Schemamonk or Schemanun wears the same habit as the Rassaphore, but to it is added the Analavos (Slavonic: Analav) a garment shaped like a cross, covering the shoulders and coming down to the knees (or lower) in front and in back. This garment is roughly reminiscent of the scapular worn by some Roman Catholic orders, but it is finely embroidered with the Cross and instruments of the Passion (see illustration, above). The Klobuk worn by a Schemamonk is also embroidered with a red cross and other symbols. the Klobuk may be shaped differently, more rounded at the top, in which case it is referred to as a koukoulion. The skufia worn by a Schemamonk is also more intricately embroidered. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... St. ... For the shoulder bone see the article Scapula. ...

The religious habit worn by Orthodox monastics is the same for both monks and nuns, except that the nuns wear an additional veil, called an apostolnik. St. ... Eastern Orthodox Nuns. ...

The central and unifying feature of Orthodox monasticism is Hesychasm, the practice of silence, and the concentrated saying of the Jesus Prayer. All ascetic practices and monastic humility is guided towards preparing the heart for theorea or the "divine vision" that comes from the union of the soul with God. It should be noted, however, that such union is not accomplished by any human activity. All an ascetic can do is prepare the ground; it is for God to cause the seed to grow and bear fruit. Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... Christogram with Jesus Prayer in Romanian: Doamne Iisuse Hristoase, Fiul lui Dumnezeu, miluieşte-mă pe mine păcătosul. ...

Historical Development

Even before Saint Anthony the Great (the "father of monasticism") went out into the desert, there were Christians who devoted their lives to ascetic discipline and striving to lead an evangelical life (i.e., in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel). Communities of virgins who had consecrated themselves to Christ are found at least as far back as the 2nd century. There were also individual ascetics, known as the "devout", who usually lived not in the deserts but on the edge of inhabited places, still remaining in the world, but practicing asceticism and striving for union with God. Saint Anthony was the first to specifically leave the world and live in the desert as a monk.^[3] Saint Anthony the Great (c. ... The 2nd century is the period from 101 - 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ...

As monasticism spread in the East from the hermits living in the deserts of Egypt to Palestine, Syria, and on up into Asia Minor and beyond, the sayings (apophthegmata) and acts (praxeis) of the Desert Fathers came to be recorded and circulated, first among their fellow monastics and then among the laity as well. A 2003 satellite image of the region. ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to... The Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits who lived in the Sahara desert of Egypt, beginning in about the third century. ...

Among these earliest recorded accounts was the Paradise, by Palladius, Bishop of Helenopolis (also known as the Lausaic History, after the prefect Lausus, to whom it was addressed). Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (whose Life of Saint Anthony the Great set the pattern for monastic hagiography), Saint Jerome, and other anonymous compilers were also responsible for setting down very influential accounts. Also of great importance are the writings surrounding the communities founded by Saint Pachomius, the father of coenobiticism, and his disciple Saint Theodore, the founder of the Skete form of monasticism. A prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: make in front, i. ... Athanasius of Alexandria (also spelled Athanasios) was a Christian bishop of Alexandria in the fourth century. ... Saint Anthony the Great, Father of all Monks Saint Anthony the Great ( 251 - 356), Christian saint, also known as Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Anthony of the Desert, Saint Anthony the Anchorite, and The Father of All Monks was a leader among the Desert Fathers, who were Christian monks in... Hagiography is the study of saints. ... For other uses, see Jerome (disambiguation). ... For the genus of jumping spider, see Pachomius (spider). ...

Among the first to set forth precepts for the monastic life was Saint Basil the Great (d. 379), a man from a professional family who was educated in Caesarea, Constantinople, and Athens. Saint Basil visited colonies of hermits in Palestine and Egypt, but was most strongly impressed by the organized communities developed under the guidance of Saint Pachomius. Saint Basil's ascetical writings set forth standards for well-disciplined community life and offered lessons in what became the ideal monastic virtue: humility. Basil (ca. ... January 19 - Theodosius I is elevated as Roman Emperor at Sirmium. ... Caesarea is the name of several Roman cities and towns, including: Caesarea Antiochia, properly Antioch in Pisidia, near modern Yalvaç, Turkey Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, modern Kayseri, Turkey Caesarea Palaestina: modern Caesarea, in Israel Caesarea Philippi in the Golan Heights Iol Caesarea: modern Cherchell, in Algeria Caesarea Magna or Caesara... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... For the genus of jumping spider, see Pachomius (spider). ...

Saint Basil wrote a series of guides for monastic life (the Lesser Asketikon the Greater Asketikon the Morals, etc.) which, while not "Rules" in the legalistic sense of later Western rules, provided firm indications of the importance of a single community of monks, living under the same roof, and under the guidance--and even discipline--of a strong abbot. His teachings set the model for Greek and Russian monasticism, but had less influence in the Latin West.

Of great importance to the development of monasticism is the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai. Here the Ladder of Divine Ascent was written by Saint John Climacus (c. 600), a work of such importance that many Orthodox monasteries to this day read it publicly either during the Divine Services or in Trapeza during Great Lent. Saint Catherines Monastery (Greek: ) on the Sinai Peninsula, at the mouth of an inaccessible gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai, in Egypt is one of the oldest continuously functioning Christian monasteries. ... For the Biblical Mount Sinai, and a discussion of its possible locations, see Biblical Mount Sinai. ... The Ladder of Paradise icon (St. ... John Climacus ( ca. ... The population of the Earth rises to about 208 million people. ... Canonical hours are ancient divisions of time, developed by the Christian Church, serving as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. ... A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. ... Great Lent is the greatest fasting period in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Easter (or Holy Pascha). Although it is in many ways similar to Lent in Western Christianity, there are important differences in the timing of Lent...

At the height of the East Roman Empire, numerous great monasteries were established by the Emperors, including the twenty "sovereign monasteries" on the Holy Mountain^[4], an actual "monastic republic" wherein the entire country is devoted to bringing souls closer to God. In this milieu, the Philokalia was compiled. Byzantine redirects here. ... Capital Karyes Official languages Koine Greek, Church Slavonic, Modern Greek, Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Bulgarian, Romanian (both liturgical and civil use), Modern Greek (civil use) Government  -  Head of State2 Dora Bakoyannis  -  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Area  -  Total 390 km²  150 sq mi  Population  -   estimate 2,250  Demonyms: Athonite, Hagiorite (English); Αθωνίτης, Αγιορίτης (Greek). ... The Philokalia (Gk. ...

As the Great Schism between East and West grew larger and larger, conflict arose over misunderstandings about Hesychasm. Saint Gregory Palamas, bishop of Thessalonica, himself an experienced Athonite monk, defended Orthodox spirituality against the attacks of Barlaam of Calabria, and left a number of very important works on the spiritual life. The term Great Schism may refer to: The East-West Schism, in 1054 between Western Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. ... Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... Gregory Palamas Gregory Palamas (Γρηγόριος Παλαμάς) (1296 - 1359) was a monk of Mount Athos in Greece and later Archbishop of Thessalonica known as a preeminent theologian of Hesychasm. ... The White Tower The Arch of Galerius Map showing the Thessaloníki prefecture Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη) is the second-largest city of Greece and is the principal city and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. ... Barlaam of Calabria (ca. ...

Monasticism Today

Monastic centers thrive to this day in Greece, Russia, Romania, the Holy Land, and elsewhere in the Orthodox world. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, a great renaissance of monasticism has occurred, and many previously empty or destroyed monastic communities have been reopened. For other uses, see Holy Land (disambiguation). ... Warsaw Pact countries to the east of the Iron Curtain are shaded red; NATO members to the west of it — blue. ...

Monasticism continues to be very influential in the Eastern Orthodox Church, even to this day. According to the Sacred Canons, all Bishops must be monks (not merely celibate), and feast days to Glorified monastic saints are an important part of the liturgical tradition of the church. Fasting, Hesychasm, and the pursuit of the spiritual life are strongly encouraged not only among monastics but also among the laity. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Canon law is the term used for... This article is about the process of declaring saints. ...

Western Monasticism

Monasticism in Gaul

The earliest phases of monasticism in Western Europe involved figures like Martin of Tours (ca. 316 - 397) , who after serving in the Roman legions converted to Christianity and established a hermitage near Milan, then moved on to Poitiers where he gathered a community around his hermitage. He was called to become Bishop of Tours in 372, where he established a monastery at Marmoutiers on the opposite bank of the river Loire, a few miles upstream from the city. His monastery was laid out as a colony of hermits, rather than as a single integrated community. Gaul in the Roman Empire Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in what would become modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. ... Saint Martin of Tours (Latin: Martinus), (316/317 – November 11, 397 in Candes) was a bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. ... Events Huns sack Changan, capital of the Chinese Western Jin Dynasty. ... Events Council of Carthage: Definitive declaration of the biblical canon Candida Casa founded by Saint Ninian. ... This is a list of the bishops and archbishops of Tours: 1 Gatianus ca 249-301 vacant 301-338 2 Lidorius 338-370 3 St. ... Events Emperor Fei is dethroned as emperor of China. ... Marmoutier is a commune of the Bas-Rhin département, in France. ...

John Cassian (ca. 360 - ca. 435) began his monastic career at a monasteries in Palestine and Egypt (ca. 385) to study monastic practice there. In Egypt he had been attracted to the isolated life of hermits, which he considered the highest form of monasticism, yet the monasteries he founded were all organized monastic communities. About 410 he established two monasteries near Marseilles, one for men, one for women. In time these attracted a total of 5000 monks and nuns. John Cassian (c. ... First invasions of the Saxons in Britain. ... Events August 3 - Nestorius is exiled by Imperial edict to a monastery in a Sahara oasis. ... Events February 11 - Oldest Pope elected: Siricius, bishop of Tarragona. ... Events Alaric I deposes Priscus Attalus as Roman Emperor. ... Marseilles redirects here. ...

Most significant for the future development of monasticism were Cassian's Institutes, which provided a guide for monastic life and his Conferences, a collection of spiritual reflections. Although he founded monasteries at the request of bishops, he did not value their form of life. He urged monks to "flee women and bishops" and considered clerical office a "diabolical temptation" that monks must avoid.^{[citation needed]}Honoratus of Marseilles (d. 429) was a wealthy Gallo-Roman aristocrat, who after a pilgrimage to Egypt, founded the Monastery of Lérins, on an island lying off the modern city of Cannes. The monastery combined a community with isolated hermitages where older, spiritually-proven monks could live in isolation. For the 7th century saint, see Honoratus of Amiens. ... I am an idiot Theodosius II starts the reform of Roman law. ... The abbey of Lérins on the ÃŽle Saint-Honorat. ...

One Roman reaction to monasticism was expressed in the description of Lérins by Rutilius Namatianus, who served as prefect of Rome in 414: Information quoted from [1] http://www. ... Events Ataulf, king of the Visigoths, marries Galla Placidia, the sister of Roman Emperor Honorius. ...

A filthy island filled by men who flee the light.

Monks they call themselves, using a Greek name.

Because they will to live alone, unseen by man.

Fortune's gifts they fear, dreading their harm:

Mad folly of a demented brain,

That cannot suffer good, for fear of ill.

Lérins became, in time, a center of monastic culture and learning and many later monks and bishops would pass through Lérins in the early stages of their career. Honoratus, himself, was called to be Bishop of Arles and was succeeded in that post by another monk from Lérins. Lérins was aristocratic in character, as was its founder, and was closely tied to urban bishoprics. The former Archbishopric of Arles had its episcopal see in the city of Arles, in southern France. ...

Monasticism in Italy

We know little about the origins of the first important monastic rule (Regula) in Western Europe, the anonymous Rule of the Master (Regula magistri), which was written somewhere south of Rome around the year 500. The rule adds legalistic elements not found in earlier rules, defining the activities of the monastery, its officers, and their responsibilities in great detail. The Rule of the Master is an anonymous sixth century collection of monastic precepts. ... This article is about the year. ...

Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480 - 546 × 550) is the most influential of Western monks. He was educated in Rome, but soon sought the life of a hermit in a cave at Subiaco, outside the city. He then attracted followers with whom he founded the monastery of Monte Cassino (ca. 520), between Rome and Naples. His Rule is shorter than the Master's, somewhat less legalistic, but much more so than Eastern rules. Saint Benedict redirects here. ... Events Odoacer defeats an attempt by Julius Nepos to recapture Italy, and has Julius killed; Odoacer also captured Dalmatia. ... Events The Ostrogoths under Totila retake Rome from the Byzantine Empire. ... Events By Place Byzantine Empire Silk reaches Constantinople (approximate date). ... Subiaco is a city in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, twenty-five miles from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. ... The restored Abbey. ... Events February 20 - Epiphanius elected Patriarch of Constantinople. ... St. ...

His Rule:

• specified a course of seven prayers during the day beginning hours before dawn and ending with evening prayer,
• specified a diet which provided no meat except for the sick, but several different vegetables, bread, and wine for the main meal,
• emphasized work as a valuable act in itself (some modern historians see this as the source of the Western work ethic),
• required monks to engage in "spiritual reading," which required a library that was often extended to include a wide range of books on secular topics,
• and emphasized the idea of submission to the Rule and to the jurisdiction of monastic superiors as an essential step on the ladder of humility.

In time, largely under the inspiration of the Emperor Charlemagne, Benedict's Rule would become the basic guide for Western monasticism, but this did not occur until the ninth century. Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ...

Irish Monasticism

The first non-Roman area to adopt monasticism was Ireland, which developed a unique form closely linked to traditional clan relations, a system that later spread to other parts of Europe, especially France.

The earliest Monastic settlements in Ireland that we know of emerged at the end of the fifth century. The first identifiable founder of a monastery (if she was a real historical figure) was Saint Brigit (d. ca. 525), a saint who ranked with Patrick as a major figure of the Irish church. The monastery at Kildare was a double monastery, with both men and women ruled by the Abbess, a pattern which we see in other monastic foundations. Saint Brigid redirects here. ... Events Bernicia settled by the Angles Ethiopia conquers Yemen The Daisan river, a tributary of the Euphrates, floods Edessa and within a couple of hours fills the entire city except for the highest parts. ...

Commonly Irish monasteries were established by grants of land to an abbot or abbess, who came from a local noble family. The monastery became the spiritual focus of the tribe or kin group. Successive abbots and abbesses were members of the founder’s family, a policy which kept the monastic lands under the jurisdiction of the family (and corresponded to Irish legal tradition, which only allowed the transfer of land within a family).

Ireland was a rural society, of Chieftans living in the countryside. There was no social place for urban leaders, such as bishops. In Irish monasteries the abbot (or abbess) was supreme, but in conformance to Christian tradition, bishops still had important sacramental roles to play (in the early Church the bishops were the ones who baptized new converts to bring them into the Church). In Ireland, the bishop frequently was subordinate to (or co-equal with) the abbot and sometimes resided in the monastery under the jurisdiction of the abbot.

Irish monasticism maintained the model of a monastic community, while, like John Cassian, marking the contemplative life of the hermit as the highest form of monasticism. Saints' lives frequently tell of monks (and abbots) departing some distance from the monastery to live in isolation from the community.

Irish monastic rules specify a stern life of prayer and discipline in which prayer, poverty, and obedience are the central themes. Yet Irish monks did not fear pagan learning. Irish monks needed to learn a foreign language, Latin, which was the language of the Church. Thus they read Latin texts, both spiritual and secular, with an enthusiasm that their contemporaries on the continent lacked. By the end of the seventh century, Irish monastic schools would be attracting students from England and even from the continent.

Irish monasticism spread widely, first to Scotland and Northern England, then to Gaul and Italy. Columba (521-597) and his followers established monasteries at Bangor, on the northeastern coast of Ireland, at Iona, an island northwest of Scotland, and at Lindisfarne, which was founded by Aidan, an Irish monk from Iona, at the request of King Oswald of Northumbria. See Columba (disambiguation) and St Columb for other uses. ... Events Future Byzantine emperor Justinian becomes consul. ... Events Saint Augustine is created Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Established by Saint Comghall - Bangor was featured in the Mappa Mundi, the first map of the world. ... One of the oldest and most important religious centers in western Europe. ... Map of the UK showing the location of Lindisfarne at 55. ... Oswald (c. ...

Columbanus (ca. 530-615), an abbot, from a Leinster noble family traveled (ca. 590) to Gaul with twelve companions. Columbanus and his followers spread the Irish model of monastic institutions established by noble families to the continent. A whole series of new rural monastic foundations on great rural estates under Irish influence sprang up, starting with Columbanus's foundations of Fontaines and Luxeuil, sponsored by the Frankish King Childebert II (reigned 575-595). After Childebert's death Columbanus traveled east to Metz, where Theudebert II (reigned 595-613) allowed him to establish a new monastery among the semi-pagan Alemanni in what is now Switzerland. One of Columbanus's followers founded the monastery of St. Gall on the shores of Lake Constance, while Columbanus continued onward across the Alps to the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy. There King Agilulf (reigned 590-616) and his wife Theodolinda granted Columbanus land in the mountains between Genoa and Milan, where he established the Monastery of Bobbio. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Battle of Daras: Belisarius and Hermogenes defeat the Persians in a major battle which blunts a Persian offensive into Roman Mesopotamia. ... Events The Edict of Paris grants extensive rights to the Frankish nobility. ... Events September 3 - St. ... Fontaine is a French word meaning fountain or natural spring. ... Luxeuil-les-Bains is a town and commune of eastern France, in the Haute-Saône département. ... Childebert II (570-595) was the king of Austrasia from 575 until his death in 595, the eldest and succeeding son of Sigebert I, and the king of Burgundy from 592 to his death, as the adopted and succeeding son of his uncle Guntram. ... Events June 2 - Benedict succeeds John III as Pope The Kingdom of East Anglia founded by the Angle groups North Folk and South Folk, naming the places of Norfolk and Suffolk, respectively. ... Events The first mention of the state of Karantania on monuments. ... Events The first mention of the state of Karantania on monuments. ... Events Clotaire II reunites the Frankish kingdoms by ordering the murder of Sigebert II. Saint Columbanus founds the monastery of Bobbio in northern Italy. ... The Alamanni, Allemanni or Alemanni, are a Germanic tribe, first mentioned by Dio Cassius, under the year 213. ... Agilulf was duke of Turin and Lombard king of Italy. ... Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, (ca 570 - 628) was the daughter of duke Garibald I of Bavaria. ... Stone arch bridge over the Trebbia river Bobbio is a city in the Piacenza province of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. ...

Later Medieval Monasticism

This activity brought considerable wealth and power. Wealthy lords and nobles would give the monasteries estates in exchange for the conduction of a mass for a loved one. Though this was likely not the original intent of Benedict, the efficiency of his cenobitic Rule in addition to the stability of the monasteries made such estates very productive; the general monk was then raised to a level of nobility, for the serfs of the estate would tend to the labor, while the monk was free to study. The monasteries thus attracted many of the best people in society and during this period the monasteries were the central storehouses and producers of knowledge.

The system broke down in the eleventh and twelfth centuries as religion began to change. Religion became far less a preserve of the religious elite. This was closely linked to the rise of mendicant orders such as the Franciscan friars, who were dedicated to spreading the word in public, not in closed monasteries. Religious behavior changed as common people began to take communion and actively participate in religion. The growing pressure of the nation states and monarchies also threatened the wealth and power of the orders. The Mendicant (or Begging) Orders are religious orders which depend directly on the riches of the people for their livelihood. ... The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... A friar is a member of a religious mendicant order of men. ... For other uses, see Eucharist (disambiguation). ...

Monasticism continued to play a role in Catholicism, but after the Protestant reformation many monasteries in Northern Europe were shut down and their assets seized. (see Dissolution of the Monasteries). Reformation redirects here. ... For other uses of the term dissolution see Dissolution. ...

The legacy of monasteries outside remains an important current in modern society. Max Weber compared the closeted and puritan societies of the English Dissenters, who sparked much of the industrial revolution, to monastic orders. Many Utopian thinkers (starting with Thomas More himself) felt inspired by the common life of monks to apply it to the whole society (an example is the falansterium). For the politician, see Max Weber (politician). ... English Dissenters were dissenters from England who opposed State interference in religious matters and founded their own communities over the 16th to 18th century period. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into utopia. ... For the Elizabethan play, see Sir Thomas More (play). ...

Modern universities have also attempted to ape Christian monasticism. Even in the new world universities are built in the gothic style of twelfth century monasteries. Communal meals, dormitory residences, elaborate rituals and dress all borrow heavily from the monastic tradition. The western facade of Reims Cathedral, France. ...

Orthodox monks farming potatoes in Russia, ca. 1910

Today monasticism remains an important part of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican faith. Vatican II saw major changes to Catholic monasticism including allowing nuns and monks to shed their habits. Image File history File links Prokudin-Gorskii-39. ... Image File history File links Prokudin-Gorskii-39. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ...

Nature of monasticism

Christian monasticism was and continued to be a lay condition—monks depended on a local parish church for the sacraments. However, if the monastery was isolated in the desert, as were many of the Egyptian examples, that inconvenience compelled monasteries either to take in priest members, to have their abbot ordained, or to have other members ordained. A priest-monk is sometimes called a hieromonk. In many cases in Eastern Orthodoxy, when a bishopric needed to be filled, they would look to nearby monasteries to find suitable candidates, being good sources of men who were spiritually mature and generally possessing the other qualities desired in a bishop. Eventually, among the Orthodox Churches it became established by canon law that all bishops must be monks. A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ... A hieromonk in Eastern Orthodoxy is a monk and the priest at the same time. ... ... In some Christian churches, the diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see, though more often the term episcopal see means the office held by the bishop. ...

Secular influence

In traditional Catholic societies, monastic communities often took charge of social services such as education and healthcare; to the latter they were so closely linked that nurses are often called "sisters." Health care or healthcare is one of the worlds largest and fastest growing professions. ... This article is about the occupation. ...

In the Middle Ages, monasteries conserved and copied ancient manuscripts in their scriptoria, their pharmacies stored and studied medicaments and they aided the development of agricultural techniques. The requirement of wine for the Mass led to the development of wine culture, as shown in the discovery of the méthode champenoise by Dom Perignon. Several liquors like Bénédictine and the Trappist beers were also developed in monasteries. Even today many monasteries and convents are locally renowned for their cooking specialties. A Scriptorium was a room or building, usually within a Christian monastery where, during medieval times, manuscripts were written. ... For other uses, see Pharmacy (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... Oenology is the study of wines in general. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Champagne (beverage). ... Dom Perignon can refer to: Dom Perignon (person), a monk frequently credited with the invention of Champagne. ... Bénédictine is a brandy-based herbal liqueur beverage produced in France. ... Trappist logo A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. ...

Christian monks cultivated the arts as a way of praising God. Gregorian chant and miniatures are examples. Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Look up miniature in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The status of monks as apart from secular life (at least theoretically) served a social function. Dethroned Visigothic kings were tonsured and sent to a monastery so that they could not claim the crown back. Around the change of millennium, monasteries became a place for second sons to live in celibacy so that the family inheritance went to the first son; in exchange the families donated to the monasteries. Some orders were favored by monarchs and rich families to keep and educate their maiden daughters before arranged marriage. This however did not bar seducers like the fictional Don Juan and the real Giacomo Casanova from assaulting convents and novices. Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Primogeniture is the common law right of the first born son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings. ... A maiden may refer to: A female virgin. ... Marriage à-la-mode by William Hogarth: a satire on arranged marriages and prediction of ensuing disaster The purpose of an arranged marriage is to form a new family unit by marriage while respecting the chastity of all people involved. ... For other uses, see Don Juan (disambiguation). ... Casanova redirects here. ...

The monasteries also provided refuge to those sick of earthly life like Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who retired to Yuste in his late years. For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... Yuste (or Cuacos de Yuste) is a small village in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. ...

Western monastic orders

A number of distinct monastic orders developed within