Monasteries ... Own, a separate world in our world. Its laws, rules and lifestyle.
What makes a person completely change his life and go to the monastery? How do they live in a monastery? How is the life of monks different from the lives of ordinary people? Let's try to answer these and other questions.
Christian (Orthodox and Catholic), Hindu, Buddhist - monasteries exist in many world religions. There have always been and are people who see the meaning of their life in solitude and service to God.
Priests - in Ancient Egypt, Druids - at the Celts, vestals - in Ancient Rome, Essenes - in Palestine. All of them lived their communities, performed rituals, kept shrines and served their God (or gods). Has monasticism gone from there?
Your way, or Why do people go to monasteries?
What leads a person to a decision to completely change his life and settle in a monastery? The reasons, like life, are different for everyone.
Some are raised by deeply religious parents. From early childhood, they are not prepared for worldly life. Other than serving God, such people can not imagine. In the old days, it was common practice (especially in rich large families) to send one of the children in their teens to a monastery. Starting from infancy, such children were taken to the holy cloisters, introduced to another life. They already knew how they lived in the monastery, and were ready to devote their lives to serving the Lord.
Others come to monasticism through pain. The loss of a loved one, when the heart is torn to pieces, and the soul does not find peace ... People are in hell day and night. They seek reassurance and answers to some of their questions. Search everywhere. It happens that previously unbelievers begin to believe and go to the monastery.
The loss of the meaning of life is another way leading to monasticism. People live for themselves "on the thumb": they raise children, go to work. And then - the children grew up, they have their own lives. There are no friends, the work is not happy, there are no hobbies. The question arises: what next? They come to the monastery and life makes sense.
Not everyone who comes remains. Living in a monastery is limited by strict rules and limits. After learning how they live in the monastery, some leave.
Christian monasteries
Monasteries, as well as Christian movements, are Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant. Only Orthodox there are more than 2000 in the world.
Naturally, different faiths also have differences in monastic life. But the basic rules are the same: prayers, obedience, labor, mercy, spiritual cleansing.
Let's see how they live in an Orthodox monastery. What their day consists of, who submits to whom. How to get to the monastery and how to leave it, if such a desire arose.
Male and female Orthodox monasteries
Joint monasteries in Russia were banned back in the 16th century. There is no big difference in Orthodoxy between nunneries and monasteries. And if you ask: “How do the nuns live in the monastery?”, The answer will be: “Almost the same as the monks.” Unless there are some differences between monasteries by type of government.
The largest are subordinate to the patriarch. Smaller ones to bishops. The monasteries are directly led by the abbots and abbesses.
For the spiritual life of the monastery is the responsibility of the most respected monks. They profess other monks, talk with them.
As a rule, a priest is sent to women's homes for confessions and services.
Degrees of monasticism or Stages of life in a monastery
The number of steps that a person will need to take before he becomes a monk or nun depends on the monastery. In some monasteries the path is shorter, in others it is longer. But everywhere time is given for awareness: whether you are suitable for monastic life, whether life in the monastery is suitable for you.
- The first step is the worker. A man who lives and works in a monastery, but does not intend to become a monk in the future.
- A novice is an obedient worker who has been blessed to wear a cassock.
- Rassophore novice. He was blessed to wear a cassock.
- The next step is the monk. A strand of hair is cut out crosswise to him and a new name is given (in honor of the saint).
- Small schema. Man gives vows of obedience and renunciation of the world.
- Great schema. The same vows are made, the hair is cut again and the name of the heavenly patron is changed.
Monks lifestyle
Ordinary people have a poor idea of how they live in a monastery and what, apart from prayers, they do there. The daily routine is clear:
- At 6 a.m. - Divine Liturgy.
- The meal.
- Service in the temple - prayers, memorial services.
- Obedience is a different kind of work. Both inside and outside the temple.
- Dinner.
- At 17:00 - evening service.
- Dinner at 20:00.
- Then read the evening rule and prayer.
- Go to bed at 22:00.
The schedule has been debugged for years and can only be broken in extreme cases.
They eat normal, healthy food in monasteries - bread, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and never eat meat. Cook in turn. It is customary to eat up everything that is put on a plate, even if it is tasteless (which, by the way, is very rare). Many products are used from their own, monastery, farmsteads.
Subsistence farms of monasteries
Many monasteries are self-sufficient. Donations from parishioners and household plots are the main source of income.
The auxiliary farms of monasteries are workshops, workshops, vegetable gardens, gardens, greenhouses and farms. Everyone is working on the housework, each has his own responsibilities. Some work in workshops, others on a farm or in a garden. Work is done in turn, or each has its own separate area.
Agricultural work is very difficult, and this scares off many workers - people who came to the monastery just to try the “taste” of monastic life.
What, besides prayers and work, are done in monasteries
Monks and nuns not only pray and work. They visit hospitals and nursing homes, where they help and care for the weak and lonely people. After all, no one has canceled mercy.
Of course, much depends on how big the monastery is and whether it has sponsors. If the monastery is very small and is only on self-sufficiency, then its inhabitants have to pray for days and days and think about their daily bread. There is simply no time left for charity.
Also, the monks conduct classes in Sunday schools, give lectures, collect donations.
Where do monks live
Workers can rent housing on their own and come to the monastery only to work. Or live in a special house for workers.
Priors, monks and novices live in cells in the monastery. Cells are small separate rooms. Usually each person has his own cell. Sometimes they live in two.
The situation is simple: the iconostasis, bed, table, chair, wardrobe. That’s probably all.
You can’t visit someone’s cells without good reason. Idle conversations are not welcome. Monks should spend time in prayer and meditation, and not in idle chatter.
Easy or hard to be a monk
When asked: “Is it difficult to live in a monastery?”, You can answer the question with a question: “Is life easy at all?”
Some have a hard time, some not. Depends on the nature and health of a person.
The hardest part is learning obedience. Obeying and being humble is very difficult, especially for modern people. In ordinary life, most are used to proving their point of view. Sometimes with “foam at the mouth” and in foul language. Even if you restrain yourself in the monastery and remain silent, then an internal protest will still sooner or later make itself felt.
On the territory of the holy monastery prohibited drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Therefore, addiction is also not easy.
A monastery is not a holiday home. And if a person has serious health problems, he simply will not be able to fulfill the strict daily routine.
How to get to the monastery
No need to make a hasty decision. First, you need to think carefully. And if there are relatives and friends for whom a person is responsible, then it is better to stay. And try to live a normal life. The grief of relatives has not made anyone happier.
If a person has long nurtured this decision ... Well, let him try.
First you need to go to the temple for services. Confess, take communion and talk with the priest, listen to his advice. The priest must give a blessing. But he may not do this if he sees that the person is not ready or his goals are far from serving God.
Then it’s better to get a worker in a monastery. Find out how they live there, get acquainted with the laws and orders of the monastery. The main thing - for prayers and work, do not forget to listen to yourself. If the soul has a feeling of happiness and peace - stay.
The next step is to speak with the abbot of the monastery. He will tell you where to start, what documents you need to collect. Usually required:
- a petition addressed to the abbot;
- passport;
- certificate of marriage or divorce.
There is no big difference in how a woman goes to a monastery or how a man goes to a monastery. But there are certain restrictions and conditions:
- Do not accept women who have minor children. In an extreme case, it is allowed to take custody of someone.
- Shearing is not allowed until the age of 30 for both women and men.
- Money in the form of an entrance fee for admission to the monastery is not required. Want - sacrifice yourself.
- The probationary period before the adoption of a monastic tonsure is different - from a year to five years. Depends on how prepared the person is.
The decision to go to the monastery is very difficult, and it must be conscious. In order not to make a big mistake, and then regret it for the rest of your life, you need to get acquainted with the monastery life and understand yourself.