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Medieval Monks
ReplyDeletePersons of medieval societies can be divided into three groups; oratores (those who pray), bellatores (those who fought) and, laborares (those who work). Monks are categorized as oratores. As oratores, the daily life of the learned-medieval monks mainly consisted of praying. “The Book of Hours which was divided into eight sections: Matins, the night office; the service recited at 2 am in the divine office, Lauds the early morning service of divine office approx 5am, Prime, the 6am service, Terce , the second of the Little Hours of divine office, recited at the third hour (9 am), Sext, the third of the Little Hours of divine office, recited at the sixth hour (noon), Nones, the fourth of the Little Hours of the divine office, recited at the ninth hour (3 pm), Vespers, the evening service of divine office, recited before dark (4 - 5pm), and Compline, the last of the day services of divine office, recited before retiring (6pm).”
Medieval monks were the most educated and, yet, the lowliest members of the religious order. But, their work was by no means of less importance. Medieval monks lived in abbeys which were dwellings, perhaps, more commonly known as monasteries. Abbeys were ruled or governed by abbots who reported directly to the “local bishop.” Under the guardianship of the abbots, the work of a monk in early forms of medieval society consisted of “tending gardens, overseeing the business of the monastery, doing various housekeeping and maintenance chores, and other types of ordinary labor,” but, it seems that progression of time, somehow, slightly altered these responsibilities. As a result of this progression, scripting became part of the monks’ duties, therefore, in addition to tending the gardens and so forth, the monk needed to devout a deal of time in the scriptorium. This, perhaps, explains the notion of hierarchy among medieval monks. Newly converted monks or “lay-brethren” were not expected to understand the daily prayers or how to copy manuscripts. Therefore, lay-brethren did the majority of required manual labor while full-fledged monks concentrated on prayer and learning. But, regardless of this hierarchy, the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience were universal to all monks.
There were various orders of medieval monks: “the Benedictine Monks or Black Monks, the Cistercian Monks or White monks, the Carthusian Monks or silent monks, the Dominican Monks, the Franciscan Monks, and the Augustine Monks, including the Gilbertines.” The there were variations in the orders, all medieval monks adhered to the Benedictine Rule (528 A.D.) which required a special kind of discipline. The three vows of the Benedictine Rule were, again, obedience, stability, and conversion in the way of life.
In accordance with 14th century England, the popularity of monks as spiritual guides was declining. This was due, at least, impart to the special privileges of the clergy (medieval monks were, also, referred to as regular clergy). Secular laypersons were disgruntled by the “wealth” of the church. Wealth, in this sense, does not necessarily infer monetary gains, but rather refers to the “special priviledges” granted to clergymen. But, regardless, the turmoil infringed upon the spiritual relationship between monks and those who sought their guidance.
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/medieval-monastery.htm
http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/westciv/medievalsoc.html
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/benedictine-rule.htm