Life for Monks

Christian monastic life does not always involve communal living with like-minded
Christians. Christian monasticism has varied greatly in its external forms, but, broadly
speaking, it has two main types (a) the eremitical or secluded, (b) the cenobitical or city
life. St. Anthony the Abbot may be called the founder of the first and St. Pachomius of
the second. But according to Richard Cronin there are three categories including (c) the
stylites monks.

Eremitic Monasticism

Also called Idiorrhythmic monasticism, from the greek eremos, “desert” or “solitary”.
They withdraw themselves from the society and normally go to the desert to do constant
practices of mental prayer.

Cenobitic Monasticism

It stresses community life in contrast with solitary life of the eremitics. Their life is
regulated by a religious rule and collection of precepts with their fellow monks in
community under the leadership of an “Abbot”.

They practice:

1.) Vow of chastity or celibacy – abstinence from marriage

2.) Vow of poverty – cannot own private property
3.) Vow of obedience to the Abbot
4.) Vow of stability – self-sufficient

Stylites Monks

From the Greek word, stulos, meaning pillar, made their sincere act of penance by living
at the top of a pillar. Among the Stylites, according to Richard Cronin, “St. Simeon
Stylites (390--459) was the most famous as he lived at the top of the pillar for 43 years
and spent whole day for prayer and intercession.

Monks did not live in monasteries at first, rather, they began by living alone, as the word
“monos” might suggest. As more people took on the lives of monks, living alone in the
wilderness, they started to come together and model themselves after the original
monks nearby. Quickly, the monks formed communities to further their ability to observe
an ascetic life.

Ascetic life means a life in pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices self-denial or
self-mortification for religious reasons.
Self-denial is the denial of one’s interest and needs. While self-mortification is a self-
discipline as an aspect of religious devotion like put to death their sinful nature for them
to be sanctified. (e.g. fasting, abstinence, pious kneeling)

Monks are the best keepers of the church when Christianity was bombarded with
worldly concerns and immersed with mundane desires, earthly power, prestige and
privilege. Therefore, monasticism was a vital feature of medieval life as the monks live
their life isolated from the world to become closer to God. The Monks preserved and
extended knowledge as they provided service to the church by educating people and
working as missionaries.