The Monastery in Middle Ages

The Monastery in Middle Ages

The Monastery in Middle Ages

What was a monastery?

A monastery was a structure, or structures, where people lived, worshipped, and gave their entire lives to God. Monks were the individuals who resided in the monasteries. Since the monastery was self-sufficient, all the monks required were supplied by the other monks. They farmed their own food and manufactured their own clothing. The outer world was unnecessary for them. They might be a little alone and concentrate on God in this way. Throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, there were monasteries.

Why were they important?

Throughout the Middle Ages, some of the few people who could read and write were the monks who lived in monasteries. The rest of the world was educated by them. In addition, the monks documented occurrences and published books. We would know very little about the events of the Middle Ages if it weren’t for these publications.

The Monks Helped People

The monks continued to play a significant role in the community, despite their attention being directed toward God and the monastery. Throughout the Middle Ages, there weren’t many inns, so travelers might stay in monasteries. In the neighborhood, they also assisted with feeding the underprivileged, seeing to the sick, and teaching young boys.

Daily Life in the Monastery

Throughout the Middle Ages, a monk’s days were primarily devoted to reading the Bible, praying, attending church, and engaging in meditation. I put a lot of effort into doing tasks around the monastery for the remainder of the day. The monks’ occupations varied according to their skills and passions. To provide food for the other monks to consume, some of them farmed the land. Others cooked, cleaned, and repaired various parts of the monastery. A few monks worked as scribes, duplicating texts and creating books throughout the day.

The Monks Vows

Vows were typically taken by monks once they joined the order. They pledged to dedicate their lives to the monastery and the order of monks they were joining as part of this vow. monks were to renounce material possessions and dedicate their lives to God and self-control. They also swore chastity, poverty, and obedience.

Jobs at the Monastery

There were some specific jobs that were present in most monasteries in the Middle Ages. Here are some of the main jobs and titles:

• Abbot: The Abbot was the head of the monastery or abbey.
• Prior: the monk who was second in charge. Sort of the deputy to the abbot.
• Lector: The monk in charge of reading the lessons in church.
• Cantor: Leader of the monk’s choir.
• Sacrist: The monk in charge of the books.

Facts about the Middle Age Monastery

• There were different orders of monks. They differed on how strict they were and in some details on their rules. The main orders in Europe during the Middle Ages included the Benedictines, the Carthusians, and the Cistercians.
• Each monastery had a center open area called a cloister.
• Monks and nuns were generally the most educated people during the Middle Ages.
• They spent much of their day in silence.
• Sometimes monasteries owned a lot of land and were very wealthy due to the tithes of the local people.
• A scribe may spend over a year copying a long book like the Bible.

Read also: Role of Guilds in Middle Ages