medieval monasticism

It has been estimated that there were around 340 religious houses and about 15,000 men and women in religious orders in the last quarter of the twelfth century in England and Wales. Rievaulx and the other surviving Yorkshire abbeys are testimony to the major building work then under way in that part of the European community. Abbots such as Ailred became influential 52figures in the church (Coleman, 1993). Italian abbots were automatic members of kings’ councils, simply because of their station, their influence, and their service.

Though not the first monastery founded to serve Christian beliefs, and not even the first founded by St. Benedict, Monte Cassino was founded in 529 by Saint Benedict of Nursia on the site of an Apollonian temple, northwest of Naples, and was to become the best known. Monte Cassino became the home of the Benedictine Order and was for many centuries the leading monastery in w

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Depending on the season of the year and the festival celebrated, the monks each day devoted a period of four to eight hours to celebrating the Divine Office and one period of seven or eight hours to sleep; the remainder of the day was divided about equally between work (usually agricultural) and religious reading and study. The order had 37,000 monks in the 14th century; in the 15th century it had 15,107. Augustine, the disciple of Gregory the Great who took the Benedictine rule to England late in the 6th century, became the first of a long list of Benedictine archbishops of Canterbury. The abbot was given full patriarchal authority over the community, but was himself subject to the rule and was required to consult the members of the community on important questions.

Present-day Christians are often cautioned, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good. The present buildings are in the style of the 16th and 17th centuries. It was destroyed by Lombardsin 590, by Saracens in 884, and by earthquake in 1349, and was rebuilt each time. As early as 1354 the order had provided 24 popes, 200 cardinals, 7000 archbishops, 15,000 bishops, 1560 canonized saints, and 5000 holy persons worthy of canonization, a number since increased to 40,000, and it had included 20 emperors, 10 empresses, 47 kings, 50 queens, and many other royal and noble persons.

Judged by the standards of the time, the Benedictine rule imposed no great amount of austerity or asceticism. ” The admonishers could have taken their cue from these active, caring, involved monasteries. They provided rest and shelter for travelers, and counseling and solace for any who asked. It required the provision of adequate food, clothing, and shelter for the monks.

Common topics in this essay:
Monte Cassino, Gregory Benedictine, Divine Office, Abbots Ailred, MEDIEVAL MONASTICISM, Austin Friars, Present-day Christians, Wales Rievaulx, Benedict Nursia, St Augustine, monte cassino, benedictine rule, western europe,

Approximate Word count = 718
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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