A man who lives apart from society and devotes his life to religion is called a monk. The word monk comes from the Greek word monachos, which means “living alone.” However, monks sometimes live together in a place called a monastery. Monks generally give up comforts like wealth and property to live a simple life of prayer and work. Monks in different religionsMonasticism, or the practice of living as a monk, exists in several religions of the world, including Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Monasticism is not an official part of Islam or Judaism, though people of those religions have formed religious communities. ChristianityMonasticism in Christianity originated in about the 4th century AD in Egypt and the Middle East. Today there are Roman Catholic monks and Eastern Orthodox monks. Although there are no true Protestant monks, some Protestants live together in religious groups. (See also Christianity, “Divisions.”) Roman CatholicismCatholic monks are not the same as priests or pastors, who perform religious ceremonies for their followers. While some monks may also become priests, monks do not generally work with the public. During the Middle Ages, several orders, or groups, of Catholic monks developed. The Benedictine, Dominican, and Franciscan orders of monks still exist today. The Benedictine group of monks live and work according to a strict set of rules. They have strongly influenced life in Western Europe. For example, Benedictine monks converted many people to Christianity, developed agriculture, encouraged learning, and taught crafts like painting, carpentry, and tailoring. Catholic monks generally live in monasteries, also called abbeys, under the authority of an abbot, or senior church official. In the Middle Ages, Catholic monasteries included an abbey church as well as smaller buildings for studying, cooking, and caring for the sick and the old. A monastery might also have a guesthouse, a carpentry shop, a bakery, a mill, and barns for animals. Monasteries today often have such modern conveniences as bathrooms and air conditioning. Eastern OrthodoxyEastern Orthodox monks did not form orders like Catholic monks. They often lived together in communities, however. Eastern Orthodox monks helped to spread Christianity throughout Eastern Europe. In about the 9th century they also helped to develop the Cyrillic alphabet for the Slavic peoples of that region. ProtestantismAlthough Protestant Christianity does not have true monks, Protestants have formed religious communities. The Taizé community in France is one example. The men who live there focus on worship, do not marry, and share property. HinduismHindu monks in India appeared much earlier than Christian monks. In Hinduism, monks do not ever act as priests. Hindu monks spend most of their time meditating, or thinking deeply about their religious beliefs. Many Hindu monks live in monasteries. SikhismSikhism, centered in India, has some sects, or divisions, of believers who are similar to Hindu monks. Sikhs of those sects act as missionaries to spread Sikh beliefs. They sometimes live together in monasteries. They wear simple clothes instead of the traditional shorts, turban, and sword of most Sikhs. JainismJainism, also practiced in India, has two sects, or divisions, of monks. Jain monks are vegetarian because they do not wish to harm any living creatures. Members of one of the Jain sects traditionally went around naked because the monks did not want to own any property, including clothes. BuddhismThere are groups of Buddhist monks in many parts of Asia. Some Buddhist monks live in monasteries, where they study and teach their religion. Other monks wander alone. Buddhist monks do not generally work. They survive by begging for alms, or offerings of food, from people. Types of monksThere are two main types of monks. The first type of monk is a hermit, or a person who lives alone and has no contact with the outside world. This type of monk believes that solitude will help him to become closer to God. Examples of solitary monks include early Christian hermits and some Hindus and Jains. The second type of monk lives in a monastery with other monks. Monasteries are often set apart from cities and towns. Monks in monasteries follow formal rules of prayer, work, study, and social service. Saint Pachomius, a Christian who lived in Egypt in the 4th century AD, founded the first community of Christian monks. He is thought to have built nine monasteries for men and two for women. NunsWomen belonging to a religious community are called nuns. Nuns do not marry, and they lead a simple life. Historically, women had a lower status than men in many religions. Nevertheless, in early Christianity, many women devoted their lives to religion. During the Middle Ages in Europe, nuns lived in communities outside their homes. Those communities, sometimes called convents, were similar to the monasteries of monks. RolesAlthough some monks live solitary lives, other monks—and nuns—have often helped the sick and the poor. A group of monks called the Knights Hospitalers, founded in Jerusalem in the 11th century, provided medical services for injured soldiers. In the 20th century the Catholic nun Mother Teresa founded an order of nuns to help poor children and adults in India. Monks have also spread culture and education. Historically, they were often the only members of society who could read and write. They made copies of the Bible and other ancient texts and passed them on to the next generation. They also set up some of the first libraries, conducted scientific research, and taught farming techniques. |