Orders and robes of Orthodox priests and monasticism. Monk is a degree of monasticism
Revival of church life in Russian Orthodox Church, which began in 1988, in connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', is especially clearly visible in the revival of monasticism. Since this time, old monasteries have been restored in our Church and new ones have been founded, many people, mostly young, have entered monasteries, wanting to work for the One God far from the bustle of the world.
The Orthodox Church people firmly know that monastic life is an expression of the inner essence and spirit of Christian life. That Orthodox monasticism carefully preserves the way of life and way of thinking of the apostles and first Christians.
ABOUT monastic life Many books have been written that the Orthodox people have always loved, read and continue to read. But for people new to the Church, it is possible and necessary to give a brief answer to questions regarding monasticism: why do people go to monasteries, what is the essence and purpose of monasticism, and what degrees of monastic life exist.
As the schema-abbot of the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery Savva writes in his book “Answer to Questions about Monasticism”: “Monasticism is a reasonable and free feat of man, a struggle to achieve Christian perfection.” In monastic life, the commandment of Jesus Christ is fully realized: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
So, going to a monastery is not a goal, but a means to work on oneself, to correct one’s imperfections. As schema-abbot Savva writes: “The life of monastics is an internal, secret struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil; this is secret work on oneself, on one’s heart, expelling passions and vices from it.”
Monks undertake various labors and feats: abstinence, fasting, vigil, virginity, chastity, poverty, obedience, humility, patience with inconveniences and sorrows in order to cleanse their mind, will and heart from passions and attachments that obscure God in the human soul. But the main thing in monasticism is prayer, the mother of all virtues. Monks try, as far as humanly possible, to pray always, in every place, in all circumstances, unceasingly, remembering the words of the Apostle: “Pray without ceasing!” (1 Thess. 5:17). It is absolutely clear that it is almost impossible to accomplish this amid the bustle of the world. And for the sake of achieving pure prayer, continuously performed in the heart, a person goes to a monastery.
Such a spiritual life inner work over oneself, the struggle with one’s passions, prayer is, as the holy ascetic fathers write, the art of the arts and the science of the sciences. And as in the study of any science, here too there are different stages of its study and different degrees of perfection.
In monastic asceticism there are basically three states or degrees. The initial degree is preparation for a feat - novice; the second is monasticism itself; and the third - the highest accomplishment of the feat - schema-making.
Monastic tonsure, that is, entry into monasticism and its various degrees, the Church sanctifies with its prayers and sacred rites. The tonsure is reminiscent of the Sacrament of Baptism, because the main action during tonsure is cutting the hair, which is also done at Baptism. Just as in Baptism, the person tonsured is given a new name. Just as the Sacrament of Baptism gives birth to a new life of grace, so tonsure into monasticism introduces a person into the most perfect way of Christian life.
There are three ranks (rites) of tonsure:
- into the ryassophore (or monasticism),
- into the mantle (into the small schema),
- into the schema (into the great schema).
Being tonsured into the ryassophore (or monasticism) is the shortest of them. At the same time, the tonsured person does not take monastic vows. After the established prayers, a cross-shaped tonsure of the hair of the person being tonsured is performed and a new name is given. After this, he is put on a cassock and kamilavka. Such a monk is called a ryassophore monk or simply a monk. (Ryasophor is a cassock bearer.)
IN convents, if the monk is tonsured into the ryassophore by the abbess of the monastery, then the novices tonsured in this way are called ryassophore novices, but if the tonsure maker is in the rank of bishop or in the rank of priesthood, then those tonsured are called nuns.
To be tonsured into the mantle (small schema) takes much longer. First, the tonsured person is tested with many questions in order to verify the firmness and voluntariness of his intention to accept the feat of monasticism. Answering all questions in the affirmative, the person tonsured and takes monastic vows:
- Until death, maintain obedience to the abbot and the elder brethren, do not leave the monastery and do not abandon fasting (monasticism);
- Until death, maintain non-covetousness (poverty), put aside earthly cares and endure all sorrow and hardship of monastic life for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven;
- Until death, preserve yourself in virginity and chastity and reverence.
Then the tonsured person is given instructions on the rules of monastic life, and he swears to fulfill all the vows of monasticism.
This is followed by the rite of cruciform tonsure of the hair and the naming of a new name. Then the tonsured person puts on monastic attire: paraman, cassock (tunic), cassock, belt, mantle, hood, sandals, and he is given a rosary. After reading prayers and litanies for the newly tonsured and reading the Apostle (Eph. 6:10-17) and the Gospel (Matthew 10:37-38); 11, 28-30) the person being tonsured is given a cross and a lighted candle.
The tonsure into the schema (great schema) is performed in the same way as into the mantle, only this happens more solemnly and for a long time. This tonsure is already an image of death for earthly life and the beginning of heavenly life. When tonsured into the schema, the person being tonsured receives a new name and puts on the schematic clothes: kukul and analav.
Familiarization with monastic life is also very useful for the laity – the faithful children of the Orthodox Church. This helps them always remember and preserve their vows given in the Sacrament of Baptism: vows of negation from Satan and faith in Christ, as well as union with Him, that is, following Him. All Christians are called to remember that the goal of Christian life, in the words of St. Seraphim of Sarov, is “acquiring (receiving) the Holy Spirit” in the human heart. But this is impossible without attentive life and prayer. "Kingdom Heavenly force He is taken, and those who make the effort take him away” (Matthew 11:12).
After seventy years of persecution of the church in our country, not only churches, but also monasteries began to be revived. More and more people are turning to faith as the only means of finding peace of mind. And some of them choose spiritual achievement and monasticism, preferring the monastery cell to the bustle of life. In the ordinary understanding, a monk is a monk. But in Orthodox man who just accepts monasticism. He is dressed like a monk, but can live outside the walls of the monastery and has not yet taken the monastic vow.
Degrees in Orthodox monasticism
Monks and nuns go through a number of stages throughout their lives - degrees of monasticism. Those who have not yet finally chosen the path of monasticism, but live and work in the monastery, are called laborers or laborers. A laborer who has received a blessing to wear a cassock and a scufa and has decided to remain in the monastery forever is called a novice. A cassock novice becomes one who has received the blessing to wear monastic clothes - a cassock, hood, kamilavka and rosary.
Then the ryassophore novice, who has made a firm decision to become a monk, takes monastic tonsure as a ryassophore. A monk is a monk who has undergone the ritual of symbolically cutting his hair and has been given a new name in honor of his heavenly patron. The next stage is the adoption of the small schema or small angelic image. At the same time, the monk undergoes the rite of monastic or mantle tonsure, takes vows of renunciation of the world and obedience, changing the name of the heavenly patron and blessing of monastic robes. The final rite of acceptance of the great angelic image or great schema includes the repetition of the same vows, a symbolic cutting of the hair, and another change in the name of the heavenly patron.
Monasticism as a degree of monasticism
“Monk” is a word that was formed from the Old Russian “in”, which means “alone, lonely, hermit.” This is what Chernets monks were called in Rus'. Currently, in the Orthodox Church, monks are not called monks who have already accepted the small or great schema, but monks who wear a cassock, those who are just awaiting tonsure, the final acceptance of all vows and the naming of a new name. Thus, here a monk is like a beginning monk, and monasticism is a preparatory stage before the tonsure of the mantle. According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, tonsure as a monk can only be done with the blessing of the bishop. Many nuns spend their entire lives in this monastic degree, without taking the next one.
Monk's vow
A person who takes monastic vows makes special vows - obligations before God to fulfill and observe the Law of God for life, church canons and monastic rules. After passing the tests - temptations - the degrees of monasticism begin. They differ not only in monastic robes and different rules of behavior, but also in the number of vows that are given before God.
The three main ones that are given by ryassophore novices upon entering the monastic degree are the vows of obedience, non-covetousness and chastity.
The basis of monasticism, the great virtue, is obedience. A monk is obliged to renounce his thoughts and will and act only according to the instructions of his spiritual father. The vow of non-covetousness is a commitment to live by God's commandments, endure all the difficulties of monastic life, and also renounce all earthly blessings. Chastity, as the fullness of wisdom, represents not only the overcoming of carnal desires, but also spiritual perfection, their achievement, constant abiding of the mind and heart in God. The soul must be chaste for the sake of pure prayer and continuous abiding in Divine love.
A person who has embarked on the path of monasticism must renounce everything worldly in order to develop the power of spiritual life and fulfill the will of his mentors. Renunciation of the old name, renunciation of property, voluntary martyrdom, life in hardship and hard work far from the world - all these indispensable conditions must be met by the monk for the further acceptance of angelic images.
In the early days Christian Church almost all believers led a pure and holy life, such as the Gospel requires. But there were many believers who were looking for a higher feat. Some voluntarily gave up their property and distributed it to the poor. Others, following the example of the Mother of God, St. John the Baptist, the Apostles Paul, John and James, took upon themselves the vow of virginity, spending time in unceasing prayer, fasting, abstinence and work, although they did not withdraw from the world and lived together with everyone. Such people were called ascetics, i.e. ascetics.
From the third century, when, due to the rapid spread of Christianity, the strictness of life among Christians began to weaken, ascetics began to retire to live in the mountains and deserts, and there, far from the world and its temptations, they led a strict ascetic life. Such ascetics who retreated from the world were called hermits And hermits.
This was the beginning monasticism, or in Russian monasticism, i.e., a different way of life, removed from the temptations of the world.
Monastic life or monasticism is the lot of only a select few who have " vocation", that is, an irresistible inner desire for monastic life in order to completely devote oneself to serving God. As the Lord Himself said about this: “Whoever can contain it, let him contain it.”(Matt. 19 , 12).
St. Athanasius says: “Two are the essence of rank and state in life: one is ordinary and characteristic human life, i.e. marriage; the other is angelic and apostolic, above which there cannot be, i.e. virginity or condition monastic".
Rev. Neil Rosansky says: “The monk is an angel, and his work is mercy, peace and sacrifice of praise.”
Those entering the path of monastic life must have a firm decision: "renounce the world" that is, renounce all earthly interests, develop the strength of spiritual life, fulfilling the will of their spiritual leaders in everything, give up your property and even from the old name. The monk takes upon himself voluntary martyrdom: self-denial, life away from the world amid labor and hardship.
Monasticism in itself is not a goal, but it is the most powerful means to achieving a higher spiritual life. The purpose of monasticism is the acquisition of moral spiritual strength for the salvation of the soul. Monasticism is the greatest feat of spiritual service to the world; it protects the world, prays for the world, spiritually nourishes it and intercedes for it, that is, it accomplishes the feat of prayerful intercession for the world.
Egypt is considered the birthplace of monasticism, and St. Anthony the Great. Rev. Anthony was the founder hermit monasticism, which consisted in the fact that each monk lived separately from each other in a hut or in a cave, indulging in fasting, prayer and labor for the benefit of himself and the poor (weaving baskets, mats, etc.). But they were all under the leadership of one boss or mentor - Abba(which means "father").
But even during the life of Anthony the Great, another kind of monastic life appeared. Ascetics gathered in one community, each worked according to his strength and abilities, for the common benefit and obeyed the same rules, one order, the so-called charter. Such communities were called Kinovia or monasteries. Abbas of the monasteries began to be called abbots And archimandrites. The founder of communal monasticism is considered to be Rev. Pachomius the Great.
From Egypt, monasticism soon spread to Asia, Palestine and Syria, and then moved to Europe.
In Rus', monasticism began almost simultaneously with the adoption of Christianity. The founders of monasticism in Rus' were Rev. Anthony And Rev. Theodosius who lived in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery.
Large monasteries, with several hundred monks, began to be called laurels. Each monastery has its own daily routine, its own rules, that is, its own monastic charter. All monks must necessarily perform various works, which according to the monastic charter are called obediences.
Monasticism can be taken not only by men, but also by women, with the same exact rules as those of monks. Women's monasteries have existed since ancient times.
Those who wish to enter into monastic life must first test their strength (pass the test) and then make irrevocable vows.
People passing preliminary tests are called novices. If, during a long trial, they prove capable of becoming monks, then they are clothed in the partial robes of a monk, with prescribed prayers, which is called Rassophorus, i.e., the right to wear a cassock and kamilavka, so that in anticipation of full monasticism, they are even more established on their chosen path. The novice is then called Rassophoran.
Monasticism itself contains two degrees, small And great image(image of angelic life), which in Greek are called small schema And great schema.
Upon entering monasticism itself, the monk is subjected to succession of the minor schema, in which the monk takes vows of monasticism and is given a new name. When the moment of tonsure arrives, the monk gives the hegumen scissors three times to confirm his firm decision. When the abbot takes the scissors from the hands of the person being tonsured for the third time, he, with thanksgiving to God, cuts his hair in a cross shape, in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, dedicating it entirely to the service of God.
The one who has accepted the small schema is put on paramand(paramand - a small quadrangular board with the image of the Cross of the Lord and the instruments of His suffering), cassock and belt; then the person being tonsured is covered mantle- a long sleeveless raincoat. Put on the head hood, this is the name of a kamilavka with a long veil - basting. In your hands rosary is given- a cord with balls strung on it for counting prayers and bows. All these clothes have symbolic meaning and remind the monk of his vows.
At the end of the ceremony it is given into the hands of the newly tonsured cross And candle, with which he stands throughout the Liturgy until Holy Communion.
Monks hosting great schema, take even stricter vows. They change their name again. There are also changes in the vestments: - instead of a paramand they put on Analav(a special cloth with crosses), worn on the head instead of a hood cockle, covering the head and shoulders.
Our custom is to call schemaniks exclusively only those monks who were tonsured into the Great Schema.
If a monk comes in abbots, then he is given rod(staff). The rod is a sign of power over subordinates, a sign of legal control of the brethren (monks). When the abbot is elevated to archimandrites they put it on him mantle with tablets. Tablets are quadrangles of red or green material sewn onto the mantle in front, two at the top and two at the bottom. They mean that the archimandrite leads the brethren according to the commandments of God. In addition, the archimandrite also receives a club and a miter. Usually from archimandrites are supplied to highest degree priesthood - to bishops.
Many of the monastics were true angels in the flesh, shining lamps of the Church of Christ.
Despite the fact that monks withdraw from the world to achieve the highest moral perfection, monasticism has a great beneficial influence on those living in the world.
Helping the spiritual needs of their neighbors, the monks did not refuse, when they had the opportunity, to serve their temporary needs. Earning food for themselves through labor, they shared their means of subsistence with the poor. At the monasteries there were hospices where monks received, fed and gave rest to wanderers. Alms were often sent from monasteries to other places: to prisoners languishing in prison, to those in poverty during famine and other misfortunes.
But main invaluable merit monks for society is unceasing created by them, prayer for the Church, the fatherland, the living and the dead.
Saint Feofan the Recluse speaks; “Monks are a sacrifice to God from society, which, handing them over to God, makes up a fence of them. In monasteries, ceremonial, complete, and long-lasting priesthood especially flourishes. The Church appears here in all the beauty of its vestments.” Truly, in the monastery there is an inexhaustible source of edification for the laity.
In the Middle Ages, monasteries had great importance, as centers of science and disseminators of education.
The presence of monasteries in the country is an expression of the strength and strength of the religious and moral spirit of the people.
The Russian people loved monasteries. When a new monastery arose, Russian people began to settle near it, forming a village, which sometimes grew into a large city.
everything about the orders of priests, the orders of the Russian Orthodox Church and their vestments
Following the example of the Old Testament church, where there were a high priest, priests and Levites, the holy Apostles established three degrees of priesthood in the New Testament Christian Church: bishops, presbyters (i.e. priests) and deacons. All of them are called clergy, because through the sacrament of the priesthood they receive the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ; perform divine services, teach people the Christian faith and good life (piety) and manage church affairs.
Bishops constitute the highest rank in the Church. They receive the highest degree of grace. Bishops are also called bishops, i.e., the heads of the priests (priests). Bishops can perform all Sacraments and all church services. This means that bishops have the right not only to perform ordinary Divine services, but also to ordain (ordain) clergy, as well as to consecrate chrism and antimensions, which is not given to priests.
According to the degree of priesthood, all bishops are equal to each other, but the oldest and most honored of the bishops are called archbishops, while the capital's bishops are called metropolitans, since the capital is called metropolis in Greek. Bishops of ancient capitals, such as: Jerusalem, Constantinople (Constantinople), Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and from the 16th century the Russian capital of Moscow, are called patriarchs. From 1721 to 1917, the Russian Orthodox Church was governed by the Holy Synod. In 1917, the Holy Council meeting in Moscow elected him again to govern the Russian Orthodox Church." His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and all Russia."
Metropolitans
To help a bishop, another bishop is sometimes given, who, in this case, is called vicar, i.e., viceroy. Exarch- the title of the head of a separate church district. Currently, there is only one exarch - the Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, who governs the Belarusian Exarchate.
Priests, and in Greek priests or elders, constitute the second sacred rank after the bishop. Priests can perform, with the blessing of the bishop, all the sacraments and church services, except for those that are supposed to be performed only by the bishop, that is, except for the sacrament of the priesthood and the consecration of the world and antimensions.
A Christian community under the jurisdiction of a priest is called his parish.
More worthy and honored priests are given the title archpriest, i.e. the main priest, or the leading priest, and the main one between them is the title protopresbyter.
If the priest is at the same time a monk (black priesthood), then he is called hieromonk, i.e., a priestly monk.
In monasteries there are up to six degrees of preparation for the angelic image:
Worker / worker— lives and works in a monastery, but has not yet chosen the monastic path.
Novice / Novice- a laborer who has completed obedience in a monastery and has received the blessing of wearing a cassock and a skufa (for women an apostle). At the same time, the novice retains his worldly name. A seminarian or parish sexton is accepted into the monastery as a novice.
Rassophore novice / Rassophore novice- a novice who is blessed to wear some monastic clothes (for example, a cassock, kamilavka (sometimes hood) and rosary). Rassophore or monastic tonsure (monk/nun) - a symbolic (as at baptism) cutting the hair and giving a new name in honor of the new heavenly patron; one is blessed to wear a cassock, kamilavka (sometimes hood) and rosary.
Robe or monastic tonsure or small angelic image or small schema ( monk/nun) - vows of obedience and renunciation from the world are given, hair is symbolically cut, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and monastic clothes are blessed: hair shirt, cassock, slippers, paraman cross, rosary, belt (sometimes leather belt), cassock, hood, mantle, apostle.
Schima or great schema or great angelic image ( schema-monk, schema-monk / schema-nun, schema-nun) - the same vows are given again, the hair is symbolically cut, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and clothes are added: analav and a kokol instead of a hood.
Monk
Schimonakh
Hieromonks, upon appointment by their abbots of monasteries, and sometimes independently of this, as an honorary distinction, are given the title abbot or higher rank archimandrite. Especially worthy of the archimandrites are elected to bishops.
Hegumen Roman (Zagrebnev)
Archimandrite John (Krastyankin)
Deacons (Deacons) constitute the third, lowest, sacred rank. "Deacon" is a Greek word and means: servant. Deacons serve the bishop or priest during Divine services and the celebration of the sacraments, but cannot perform them themselves.The participation of a deacon in the Divine service is not necessary, and therefore in many churches the service takes place without a deacon.
Some deacons are awarded the title protodeacon, i.e., chief deacon.
A monk who has received the rank of deacon is called hierodeacon, and the senior hierodeacon - archdeacon.
In addition to the three sacred ranks, there are also lower official positions in the Church: subdeacons, psalm-readers (sacristans) and sextons. They, being among the clergy, are appointed to their positions not through the sacrament of the Priesthood, but only with the blessing of the bishop.
Psalmists have the duty to read and sing, both during divine services in the church on the choir, and when the priest performs spiritual needs in the homes of parishioners.
Acolyte
Sexton have the duty to convene believers to Divine services ringing bells, light candles in the temple, serve censer, help psalm-readers in reading and singing, and so on.
Sexton
Subdeacons participate only in the episcopal service. They dress the bishop in sacred clothes, hold lamps (trikiri and dikiri) and present them to the bishop to bless those praying with them.
Subdeacons
Priests, in order to perform Divine services, must put on special sacred clothes. Sacred robes are made of brocade or any other suitable material and decorated with crosses. The deacon's vestments consist of: surplice, orarion and bridles.
Surplice There are long clothes without a slit in the front and back, with an opening for the head and wide sleeves. The surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear the surplice can be given to psalm-readers and laymen serving in the church. The surplice signifies the purity of the soul that persons of holy orders must have.
Orar there is a long wide ribbon made of the same material as the surplice. It is worn by the deacon on his left shoulder, above the surplice. The Orarium signifies the grace of God that the deacon received in the sacrament of the Priesthood.
Narrow sleeves that are fastened with laces are called handguards. The instructions remind the clergy that when they perform the sacraments or participate in the celebration of the sacraments of the faith of Christ, they do this not with their own strength, but with the power and grace of God. The guards also resemble the bonds (ropes) on the hands of the Savior during His suffering.
The vestments of a priest consist of: a vestment, an epitrachelion, a belt, armbands and a phelonion (or chasuble).
The surplice is a surplice in a slightly modified form. It differs from the surplice in that it is made of thin white material, and its sleeves are narrow with laces at the ends, with which they are tightened on the arms. The white color of the sacristan reminds the priest that he must always have a pure soul and lead an immaculate life. In addition, the cassock also resembles the tunic (underwear) in which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself walked on earth and in which He accomplished the work of our salvation.
The epitrachelion is the same orarion, but only folded in half so that, going around the neck, it descends from the front downwards with two ends, which for convenience are sewn or somehow connected to each other. The epitrachelion signifies the special, double grace compared to the deacon, given to the priest for performing the sacraments. Without an epitrachelion, a priest cannot perform a single service, just as a deacon cannot perform a single service without an orarion.
The belt is worn over the epitrachelion and cassock and signifies readiness to serve the Lord. The belt also signifies Divine power, which strengthens the clergy in carrying out their ministry. The belt also resembles the towel with which the Savior girded when washing the feet of His disciples at the Secret
The chasuble, or phelonion, is worn by the priest on top of other clothes. This clothing is long, wide, sleeveless, with an opening for the head at the top and a large cutout in the front for free action of the arms. In its appearance, the robe resembles the scarlet robe in which the suffering Savior was clothed. The ribbons sewn on the robe resemble the streams of blood that flowed through His clothes. At the same time, the robe also reminds the priests of the garment of righteousness in which they must be clothed as servants of Christ.
On top of the chasuble, on the priest’s chest, is a pectoral cross.
For diligent, long-term service, priests are given a legguard, that is, a quadrangular cloth hung on a ribbon over the shoulder and two corners on the right thigh, meaning a spiritual sword, as well as head ornaments - skufya and kamilavka.
Kamilavka.
The bishop (bishop) puts on all the clothes of a priest: a vestment, epitrachelion, belt, armlets, only his chasuble is replaced by a sakkos, and his loincloth by a club. In addition, the bishop puts on an omophorion and a miter.
Sakkos is the bishop's outer garment, similar to a deacon's surplice shortened at the bottom and in the sleeves, so that from under the bishop's sakkos both the saccos and the epitrachelion are visible. Sakkos, like the priest’s robe, symbolizes the Savior’s purple robe.
The club is a quadrangular board hung at one corner, above the sakkos on the right thigh. As a reward for excellent and diligent service, the right to wear a club is sometimes received from the ruling bishop and honored archpriests, who also wear it with right side, and the legguard in this case is placed on the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, the club serves as a necessary accessory to their vestments. The club, like the legguard, means the spiritual sword, that is, the word of God, with which clergy must be armed to fight unbelief and wickedness.
On the shoulders, above the sakkos, bishops wear an omophorion. Omophorion there is a long wide ribbon-shaped board decorated with crosses. It is placed on the bishop's shoulders so that, encircling the neck, one end descends in front and the other behind. Omophorion is a Greek word and means shoulder pad. The omophorion belongs exclusively to bishops. Without an omophorion, a bishop, like a priest without an epitrachelion, cannot perform any service. The omophorion reminds the bishop that he must take care of the salvation of the lost, like the good shepherd of the Gospel, who, having found the lost sheep, carries it home on his shoulders.
On his chest, on top of the sakkos, in addition to the cross, the bishop also has a panagia, which means “All Holy One.” This is a small round image of the Savior or the Mother of God, decorated with colored stones.
A miter decorated with small images and colored stones is placed on the bishop's head. Mithra symbolizes the crown of thorns, which was placed on the head of the suffering Savior. Archimandrites also have a miter. In exceptional cases, the ruling bishop gives the right to the most honored archpriests to wear a miter instead of a kamilavka during Divine services.
During Divine services, bishops use a rod or staff as a sign of supreme pastoral authority. The staff is also given to archimandrites and abbots, as heads of monasteries. During the Divine Service, eagles are placed under the bishop’s feet. These are small round rugs with the image of an eagle flying over the city. Orlets mean that the bishop must, like an eagle, ascend from the earthly to the heavenly.
The home clothing of a bishop, priest and deacon consists of a cassock (half-caftan) and a cassock. Over the cassock, on the chest, the bishop wears a cross and panagia, and the priest wears a cross
Everyday clothing of clergy of the Orthodox Church, cassocks and cassocks, as a rule, are made of fabric black color, which expresses the humility and unpretentiousness of a Christian, disregard for external beauty, attention to the inner world.
During services, church vestments, which come in various colors, are worn over everyday clothing.
Vestments white are used when performing divine services on holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ (with the exception of Palm Sunday and Trinity), angels, apostles and prophets. The white color of these vestments symbolizes holiness, permeation with uncreated Divine Energies, and belonging to the heavenly world. At the same time, the white color is a memory of the Tabor light, the dazzling light of Divine glory. Liturgy is celebrated in white vestments Holy Saturday and Easter Matins. In this case, the white color symbolizes the glory of the Risen Savior. It is customary to wear white vestments for funerals and all funeral services. IN in this case This color expresses hope for the repose of the deceased in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Vestments Red used during the Liturgy of Light Christ's Resurrection and at all services of the forty-day Easter period. The red color in this case is a symbol of all-conquering Divine Love. In addition, red vestments are used on holidays dedicated to the memory of martyrs and on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist. In this case, the red color of the vestments is a memory of the blood shed by the martyrs for the Christian faith.
Vestments blue color
, symbolizing virginity, are used exclusively for divine services on the feasts of the Mother of God. Blue is the color of Heaven, from which the Holy Spirit descends on us. Therefore, blue color is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. This is a symbol of purity.
This is why cyan (blue) color is used in church service on holidays associated with the name of the Mother of God.
The Holy Church calls the Most Holy Theotokos the vessel of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on her and She became the Mother of the Savior. Holy Mother of God Since childhood, she has been distinguished by a special purity of soul. Therefore, the color of the Mother of God became blue (blue). We see clergy in blue (blue) vestments on holidays:
Nativity of the Mother of God
On the day of Her Entry into the Temple
On the day of the Presentation of the Lord
On the day of Her Assumption
On the days of glorification of the icons of the Mother of God
Vestments golden (yellow) color used at services dedicated to the memory of saints. The golden color is a symbol of the Church, the Triumph of Orthodoxy, which was affirmed through the works of the holy bishops. Sunday services are performed in the same vestments. Sometimes divine services are performed in golden vestments on the days of remembrance of the apostles, who created the first church communities by preaching the Gospel. It's no coincidence that's why yellow liturgical vestments are the most commonly used. It is in yellow robes that the priests dress in Sundays(when Christ is glorified, his victory over the forces of hell).
In addition, yellow vestments are also worn on the days of remembrance of the apostles, prophets, and saints - that is, those saints who, through their service in the Church, resembled Christ the Savior: they enlightened people, called to repentance, revealed Divine truths, and performed the sacraments as priests.
Vestments Green colour used at the services of Palm Sunday and Trinity. In the first case, the green color is associated with the memory of palm branches, a symbol of royal dignity, with which the inhabitants of Jerusalem greeted Jesus Christ. In the second case, the green color is a symbol of the renewal of the earth, purified by the grace of the Holy Spirit who has appeared hypostatically and always abides in the Church. For the same reason, green vestments are worn at services dedicated to the memory of saints, holy ascetics-monks, who were more transformed than other people by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Vestments Green colour are used on the days of remembrance of the saints - that is, saints leading an ascetic, monastic lifestyle, who devoted Special attention spiritual deeds. Among them are Venerable Sergius Radonezh, founder of the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and St. Mary of Egypt, who spent many years in the desert, and Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky and many, many others.
This is due to the fact that the ascetic life that these saints led changed them human nature- she became different, she was renewed - she was sanctified by Divine grace. In their lives, they united with Christ (who is symbolized by the color yellow) and with the Holy Spirit (who is symbolized by the second color - blue).
Vestments purple or crimson (dark burgundy) colors are worn on holidays dedicated to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. They are also used at Sunday services during Lent. This color is a symbol of the Savior’s suffering on the cross and is associated with the memories of the scarlet robe in which Christ was clothed by the Roman soldiers who laughed at him (Matthew 27, 28). On the days of remembrance of the Savior’s suffering on the cross and His death on the cross (Sundays of Lent, Holy Week - the last week before Easter, on the days of worship of the Cross of Christ (Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, etc.)
Shades of red in violet remind us of the suffering of Christ on the cross. The shade of blue color(colors of the Holy Spirit) means that Christ is God, He is inextricably linked with the Holy Spirit, with the Spirit of God, He is one of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity. Purple is the seventh color in the rainbow. This corresponds to the seventh day of the creation of the world. The Lord created the world for six days, but the seventh day became a day of rest. After the suffering on the cross, the Savior’s earthly journey ended, Christ defeated death, defeated the forces of hell and rested from earthly affairs.
The editors of the Pravoslavie.Ru website continue to publish diplomas of graduates of Sretensky Theological Seminary, which began several years ago. Diplomas of graduates of previous years: Hieromonk John (Ludishchev), Yuri Filippov, Maxim Yanyshevsky and others, who raised important problems for our time and were written with the use of archival materials, aroused great interest among readers of the site. The series of publications of diplomas of SDS graduates is continued by the work of Hierodeacon Nikon (Gorokhov), a 2009 graduate of the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersk Monastery, “Entering monasticism and leaving it” (scientific supervisor - Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin), dedicated to extremely relevant and topical problems of modern church life. At the same time, the author in his work not only relies on the works of the Church Fathers, canonical decrees and studies on the history of the Church, but also takes into account rich experience elders and confessors of the Pskov-Pechersk monastery, the entire structure of monastic life in it.
There is probably not a single person who does not know or see monks, who does not encounter them in churches, monasteries or in everyday life. Many have monks as relatives, and even more people have confessors or simply acquaintances among monastics. The external side of the monks’ activities, thanks to the media, is quite well known, but some side of their life remains completely unknown to the world. This gives rise to either riddles, or common conjectures, or implausible stories.
The opening of many new monasteries and farmsteads in Russia over the past 20 years has led to the fact that these monasteries began to quickly fill with monks and nuns, which in itself is very gratifying. But, on the other hand, premature tonsures, ill-considered entry into monasticism, the real difficulties of reviving monasteries and an acute shortage of experienced confessors led to the fact that monastic monasteries began to quickly fill with inhabitants who were random and poorly prepared. Many took monastic vows thoughtlessly, without calculating their strength, without testing themselves, without reasoning, trusting in fleeting feelings or the persuasion of strangers, and in general, as it turned out, by mistake. This immediately affected the spiritual level of modern Russian monasteries.
Such omissions were not in vain. Many of the monks began to leave the walls of the monasteries and return to the world, completely neglecting the previously given vows. Unfortunately, this process continues to this day. That is why the purpose of this work, in addition to its historical and canonical aspects, is also to help those entering monasticism determine their path in life, and to remind all those accepting monasticism of the high responsibility that they take upon themselves.
Formation of the monastic tradition
The common man, of course, is content with what the media offers him, and sometimes believes that he already knows everything or almost everything about monasticism. Much less common are thoughtful people who begin to read books and special literature on monasticism. And even rarer are those who research the topic to the end, to the primary sources, to the very basics. Usually these people are either the monks themselves, or specialists in the field of monastic writing, church history and culture.
The Holy Fathers call monasticism the science of sciences. Does this mean that monasticism is some kind of secret knowledge, that is, a special kind of science that is taught in monasteries? Or should this expression be understood allegorically? It all depends on who will speak. If a Protestant theologian talks about monasticism and completely denies its value, then we will hear one judgment, but if a person talks about it, he himself past the path monk, then we will hear something completely different.
When equating monastic work with the highest creativity or with a special kind of science, the holy fathers were not mistaken. Because monastic work relates to the most intimate, most important and beautiful thing that is in a person - to his soul. And not only to the soul, but also to the entire composition of man: the education of the spirit, the purification of the soul and the asceticism of the body.
In a word, to the transformation of the whole person, or, as the holy fathers said, to his “deification.”
Who are monks? If we give a definition based on one name, it will mean: a person living alone. But such a definition does not mean anything, because there are many people who live alone, but, alas, there are no monks. The word "monk" contains more than just the life of a solitary person. Here, for example, is what St. John Climacus says: monks are those who are called to imitate the life of ethereal forces, these are those who in all actions must be guided by the testimony of Holy Scripture, these are those who must constantly force themselves to do every good deed, these are those who must keep their feelings from sinful impressions, and their minds from sinful thoughts.
A monk is a warrior of the Heavenly King who fights on the front line and, one might say, in the vanguard. It is impossible to retreat, to leave the field - especially: behind - God and the Kingdom of Heaven, ahead - hordes of invisible enemies and a mortal battle, the length of the battle is a lifetime, at the beginning - renunciation of the world, in the middle - a feat, at the end - a reward or disgrace.
“Monasticism is the assumption of lifelong torment, the perception of the consciousness of a martyr, which, of course, rejoices in the struggle and is never satisfied with what has been achieved.”
This is what the path of monastic life is. These are just allegories, but in life everything is much simpler and more imperceptible, but at the same time more complex. Real monastic life can be very different from what you can read about in books, and everyone who wants to follow this thorny path should definitely know about this. Most often it happens that modern man who comes to the monastery is shocked by the difference that arises between the ideas that have formed about monasticism in his head and the reality that he actually sees: “People often came to the monastery, shocked by something, who did not get along with
the surrounding world
, tired of life's struggles and hardships, disappointed, looking for consolation, peace and spiritual freedom. But when the monastery gates closed behind them, most often they found neither one nor the other, nor the third. For a person, remaining a person, brought his weaknesses and imperfections with him to the monastery... And in the monasteries life went on as usual, very different from secular life, but not in everything coinciding with the ideals of monastic service.”
Unfortunately, modern monasticism is far from the ideal of monastic life, but modern youth are not Anthony and Pachomius, not Sergius and not Seraphim. As the famous proverb says: “As the world is, so is the monastery.” This work is intended, rather, to sober up the frivolous part of young people who strive to find a simple way out of their problems in monasticism, or that part of them who, having not found a use for themselves in the world, thinks to find it in a monastery. For true monasticism a vocation is necessary. For only “he who is able to contain, let him contain.” it is known that monasticism as an institution did not arise immediately after the preaching of the Savior, although it is recognized as indisputable that the institution of virgins, which preceded monasticism, arose simultaneously with the Church itself. « It was in the mouth of the Divine Teacher that words sounded that predicted the phenomenon in the Church that was to appear in the future: . For there are eunuchs who were born like this from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. He who can contain it, let him contain it" (Matthew 19:12)
Of the three types of eunuchs (people deprived of the ability to bear children) listed by the Savior, the last, in the opinion of the holy fathers, indicates monasticism. Thus, monasticism is that type of people who take upon themselves voluntary virginity (abstinence from marital cohabitation) for the sake of acquiring the Kingdom of Heaven.
Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow in “Rules for the improvement of monastic brotherhoods of Moscow stauropegial monasteries” points to the Holy Scripture as the only and absolute basis for monastic vows:
1. one who takes a vow of obedience and renunciation of his own will and his own wisdom must base it on the word of the Lord: “Then Jesus said to His disciples: If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew . 26: 24.);
2. one who takes a vow of chastity must heed the word of Christ: “He who is able to contain, let him contain” (Matthew 19: 12.) - and the word of the Apostle: “He who is not married cares for the Lord, how he may please the Lord.” (1 Cor. 7:32);
3. The one who takes a vow of non-covetousness must be confirmed in the word of Christ: “Jesus said to him: if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). Saint Philaret was not the first to argue that this way of life is based on. For example, Saint Basil the Great, when he was looking for an example of a perfect gospel life, he concluded that it was actually a monastic life.
Saint Ignatius of Caucasus made the same conclusions: “The fulfillment of the Gospel commandments has always been and is now the essence of monastic work and residence”; “true Christianity and true monasticism lies in the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments. Where this fulfillment does not exist, there is neither Christianity nor monasticism, whatever the appearance." And here are the words of St. Macarius of Optina: “What does monasticism mean? The fulfillment of Christianity, which consists in fulfilling the commandments of God, is also the love of God: if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (John 14:23), said the Lord.” Or here is the opinion of the rector of the Athonite monastery of Simonopetra, Archimandrite Emilian, our contemporary: “The monastic community is the most vivid embodiment of evangelical perfection, achieved through renunciation of everything, daily erection of one’s cross and following the Lord. First of all, such a community is a search for the Kingdom of God, and everything else will be added from God.”
Tradition of the Orthodox Church includes the holy Forerunner of the Lord John, the holy prophet, among the founders of monasticism Elijah of God, the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, the Most Pure Virgin Mary. For Christians they have been and will be examples of complete dedication to God. But as a mass phenomenon, with its own charters, orders and a very special philosophy of life, monasticism appeared at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th centuries. Until this time, the Church knew only isolated cases of asceticism, when, out of a desire for perfection, some Christians took vows of virginity or voluntary poverty, and some devoted their lives to unceasing prayer or all kinds of abstinence
.
Various reasons contributed to the emergence of monastic communities. Some historians, for example, even name the persecutions themselves that befell the Church by the pagan authorities. In particular, the persecution that began under the Roman Emperor Decius (249-251). It prompted many to flee to desert places, including ascetics. These ascetics who remained to live in the desert began to be called anchorites, or heremits. Soon the persecution ended, and Emperor Constantine the Great came to power in Rome, who declared freedom of religion for all religions on the territory of the Roman Empire (Edict of Milan; 313) and, first of all, for Christians. "After a long struggle with the Church, the empire finally capitulated" . And by the end of the 4th century, Christianity was finally established as
official religion
Roman Empire. But the main impetus for the emergence and development of such a strange and unusual community as monasticism became was not persecution, but just the opposite - the sudden peace and prosperity of the Church. The mass monastic movement arose as a reaction to the secularization of the Church and church society. Many pagans flowed into the Church, which began to be filled with neophytes. If by the arrival of Constantine the Great the number of inhabitants of the empire who professed Christianity, according to modern historians, ranged from 7 to 10% of the total population of the empire, then by the end of the 4th century there were already more than 50%. Many became loyal to Orthodoxy, looking at the emperor, and some came to the Church for selfish (opportunistic) reasons, for a speedy career advancement. The empire, however, continued to live its usual life, which meant that many pagan customs continued to exist. For example, horse racing was often held in stadiums, and theatrical performances in amphitheaters, the authors of which were pagans. Various festivals in honor of numerous pagan gods amused and entertained the population of the empire. Enjoyed universal respect Olympic Games .
Kinovia - an ideal Christian hostel
With the massive arrival of pagans in the Church, morals in Christian communities began to decline, and as a reaction to this secularization, the opposite process began to occur - the separation and isolation of communities of ascetics who desired moral perfection. “Ascetics began to move away from cities and villages to desert places and forests”.
This is how the first monasteries and monastic communities began to form. “At its origin, monasticism was not an official church institution, but a spontaneous movement, an impulse, and it was precisely lay movement“,” emphasizes Archpriest Georgy Florovsky in his work “Empire and Desert”
. . It was the laity who longed for the fulfillment of Christian ideals on earth and did not want to put up with the licentiousness of morals within Christian communities; it was they who, by leaving for the desert, wanted to emphasize the idea of the otherworldliness of the Church, relying on the words of the Apostle Paul: “We are not imams of the city that abides here, but we seek the one to come.” (Heb. 13:14). .
The Monk John Cassian the Roman describes the formation of the first cenobitic monasteries from the words of Abba Piammon (in his 18th interview “On the Three Ancient Kinds of Monks,” Chapter 5): “So, the kind of life of the Cenobites began from the time of the apostolic sermon. For such were the whole multitude of believers in Jerusalem.”
The Monk Piammon believes that the formation of cenobitic monasteries was modeled on the first Christian community that arose in Jerusalem during the time of the apostles. He says that over time, after the death of the apostles, gradually the first zeal among Christians began to disappear, and it was replaced by coldness and indifference, but not everyone wanted to be like that. Those who wanted to live according to the Gospel and not make any concessions to the world, gradually began to move further and further into deserted places and form hostels similar to the early Christian community. Communities of such zealous Christians began to be called konovii, and their inhabitants - konovites
The ideas of the emergence of such communities as the “early Christian community” and the “strict cenobitic monastery” were absolutely the same, because the life of all members of the community was built exclusively on the Gospel commandments, but the historical origin of the cenovites was somewhat different from that of the early Christian community. However, we can assume that both were the result of God’s Providence. In all three named areas, monasticism arose independently of each other, but Egyptian monasticism is considered the oldest. The founder of Egyptian monasticism is considered Venerable Anthony the Great . As early as 285, he withdrew into the depths of the desert to Mount Colisma. In Thebaid, he “founded the monastery of Pisper and a number of other monastic settlements, which continue to exist after his blessed death.” Another strong center of monastic life formed in the Nitrian desert. Its true founder should be considered the Venerable Ammonius of Nitria, who came to this place around 320. Not far from the Nitrian Mountain there was a desert called “Cells”, where Macarius of Alexandria (city) labored, and even further from the Nitrian Mountain there was the “Skeet” desert, founded by the Monk Macarius the Great (of Egypt) in 330. Around the same time (c. 323-324) Venerable Pachomius the Great founded the first communal monastery in a place called Tavennisi, on the banks of the Nile River, in its middle course. In Palestine the founders of monasticism were.
Venerable Chariton the Confessor . - builder of the Faran Lavra (330s) and St. Hilarion the Great - builder of the Lavra at Mayum (338). In Syria -
Venerable James of Nizibia
and his student
When monasticism greatly increased in number and became a massive new phenomenon in the Roman Empire, then the imperial administration had a need to regulate the lives of such a large number of people (the inhabitants of many Egyptian monasteries numbered in the thousands), living according to different laws than the majority of the inhabitants of the Empire lived.
These laws began to appear from the pens of emperors, but this began to happen much later - somewhere in the 6th century.
Initially, the monastics themselves began to develop certain rules, which they considered necessary to maintain order in their ever-increasing ranks. With name St. Anthony The Great is bound by the rules developed by the monk for his monks and the so-called “Spiritual Instructions.” They were first published in 1646 by the Western scientist Abraham of Angelen. For this work, the author chose from these
those rules
which relate to entering (and leaving) monasticism. For example, canon XV, as edited by Abraham of Angelenos, states the following: “If temptation occurs because of any young man who has not yet put on the monastic robe, then do not put on him; he should be thrown out of the monastery.” The expression (“do not clothe”) is addressed to the abbot of the monastery, who alone has the power to admit or refuse admission to the monastery. The abbot had every right to expel from the monastery those who gave rise to temptation. Since the moral level of monasticism at that time was very high, the requirements for candidates were very high.
In the monastery of St. Anthony, the monks wore their own special attire, which distinguished them from the laity. “They put it on when entering the monastery as monks who had irrevocably renounced the world and forever decided to connect their lives with the monastery. They were deprived of their monastic attire when, for one reason or another, they had to return to the world." Such simple rules
receptions to the monastery of the Monk Anthony existed first in oral tradition or in oral tradition, and then, after the death of the founder of monasticism, they were committed to writing and came down to us.
Consent to be accepted into the ranks of the monastery brethren was determined by the abbot solely according to his own conviction as to whether the famous person was capable of leading an ascetic lifestyle or not. From the life of St. Paul the Simple, one can see how easy the test was during admission to the monastery under St. Anthony.
“Antony did all this in order to test Paul’s patience and obedience. And he did not grumble at all about this, but with zeal and diligence he carried out all the commands of Anthony. Finally, Anthony became convinced of Paul’s ability to live in the desert and said to him: “Now you have already become a monk in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul began to asceticize not far from the Monk Anthony. He did not pronounce any solemn vows. No hair cutting, no solemn vows, no solemn renunciation of the world, no change of name and dress were required of the first monks. All that was needed was firm determination, confirmed by deeds. The very first difference between monks and clergy and laity was, of course, their way of life. Very soon differences in clothing appeared. . The Arabic version of the life says in this place that Palamon tested Pachomius for three months before putting him in monastic robes (τό σχήμα τών μοναχών).”
It is difficult to say exactly what this clothing was, but one must think that Saint Pachomius, when he became the abbot of many monasteries, took as a model for the clothing of monks the clothes in which Abba Palamon himself dressed him.
Among the first to compile written rules of monastic life were St. Pachomius the Great and St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. These rules formed the basis of almost all subsequent monastic regulations. They have reached our time. And already in them we see how the issues of entering monasticism are resolved and how leaving it is sharply condemned.
If earlier, before the formation of the strict cenovic structure of monasteries, anyone could consider himself a monk if he lived in solitude and worked in piety, then with the emergence of community life, rituals appeared indicating that this or that person, entering the monastic brotherhood, pledged to lead another Lifestyle. In order to somehow indicate this otherness, signs were established by which the life of a monk differed from life in the world. Firstly, these were internal regulations, which were called monastic vows, and secondly, external differences were also accepted (in clothing, food and behavior), distinguishing monks from the laity: //theolcom.ru/doc/sacradoc/4_08_Polskov. pdf. Savva, Archbishop Tverskoy and Kashinsky
. A collection of opinions and reviews of Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, on educational and church-state issues. St. Petersburg, 1885. T. 3. P. 419. Sagarda N.I.
Lectures on patrolology of the 1st–4th centuries. M., 2004. P. 639. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
, St. Collection of creations: In 6 volumes. T.4. An offering to modern monasticism. M., 2004. P. 71. Macarius of Optina,
Rev. Soulful teachings / Comp. archim. John (Zakharchenko). M., 2006. P. 330. Emilian
, archim. Words and instructions. M., 2006. P. 205. “This is quite clear to me from the fact that even the image of monastic life was unknown to the divine and holy apostles” (Rules of the Saints Ecumenical Councils
with interpretations. Tutaev, 2001. Part 1. P. 698). “All these hermits and even their communities, due to their small numbers and lack of popularity, for the most part did not completely break with the previous way of life and did not influence the development of worship” ( Skaballanovich
“Before the Monk Anthony, hermits were not uncommon, but they labored near their villages, so that the monk did not yet know the great desert” (Ibid. p. 198).
Florovsky G., prot. Dogma and history. M., 1998. P. 262.
“Social life in the Roman Empire, full of pagan memories and customs, was especially dangerous for the salvation of the soul, therefore the zealots of Christian perfection retired to the desert and there founded a new community, completely Christian” ( Sidorov A.I. At the origins of the culture of holiness. Orthodox monasticism and asceticism in research and monuments: Monuments of ancient church ascetic and monastic writing. M., 2002. P.16).
Suvorov N. Church law course. Yaroslavl, 1890. T. 2. P. 366.
Florovsky G., prot. Dogma and history. P. 276.
“They... due to the severity of their lonely and solitary life, were called monks, living together. From this it followed that, based on their joint residence, they were called Cenobites, and their cells and residence were called Cenobites" ( John Cassian the Roman, Rev. Scriptures. M., 1993. P. 498).
“Monasticism spread throughout the ancient Christian world from one common root, which is Egyptian monasticism” (see: Palmov N. Consecration into monasticism. Orders of monastic vows in the Greek Church. Kyiv, 1914) .
“In its homeland, in Egypt, monasticism arose first in the form of hermitic asceticism, and then appeared in the form of communal asceticism. Representatives of hermit monasticism were Rev. Pavel of Thebes and Rev. Anthony the Great" (See: Ibid.).
Sidorov A.I. At the origins of the culture of holiness. P. 17.
Right there. P. 18.
Right there. P. 19.
“The main founder of monastic life in the West was St. Benedict, Count of Nursia, who founded many monasteries, of which one, under the name of Monte Cassino, near Naples, was considered as the founder monastery and drew up the charter of the monastic community" ( Suvorov N. Church law course. P. 367) .
“They lived among the rest of the members of the Church, without any special rights and obligations assigned to them by the Church and considering their lives only with those strict moral requirements that they set for themselves” (Ibid. p. 366) .
“Once it appeared, asceticism could not help but develop and grow not only in volume, but also in degree and strength” ( Skaballanovich M. Explanatory Typikon. P. 201) .
“This mountain was already densely populated by monks, for Palladium counts them as approx. 5000"; “in the city of Oxyrhynchus there were 20,000 nuns, in the city of Antinoe there were 12 women’s monasteries”; “this monastery, not mentioned in Greek sources, by the time of Shenoute’s death (466) had become one of the most famous and populous in Egypt: it had more than 2,000 inhabitants” ( Nikodim (Milos), ep. Orthodox church law. St. Petersburg, 1897. P. 652) .
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