In the Orthodox Christian tradition, monasticism is often called the 'barometer of the spiritual life of the Church.' So great has the influence of and appreciation for this way of life been, that its existence and status have been equated with those of the Church as a whole. As flourishes the monastic life, so flourishes the Church.
That so great an influence would be granted to the monastic life bespeaks something of the importance in which it is viewed by the Church. Monasticism is not just a 'part' of the greater scope of Orthodox life; it is the very centre and heart of the Church, in relation to which other aspects of her life are born and grow. The monastics (both men and women) are those who choose to follow with singular devotion and obedience the call of Christ, who live the life of the Church in a direct and immediate manner. They are thus the models in which the Church sees her perfect icon: a communion of souls wholly living the life in Christ.
It is sometimes said that monasticism is 'built in' to humanity: that a nature which has been torn from the intimate communion with its Creator—the communion for which it was fashioned—naturally longs to return to that better state. The outward expressions of monasticism—the life set apart, the rigorous asceticism—are manifestations of that deep inward desire of the human soul to unite itself to God through Christ.
Christian monasticism took its practical roots in the early fourth century, though there were individuals and communities living austere, solitary and ascetic lives long before this time. Nonetheless, it was in this era that St Anthony of Egypt lived and had his story recorded by St Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, in the classic text, theLife of St Antony of Egypt. This book recorded the saint's departure into the solitary deserts of Egypt to live a life wholly devoted to God, modelled on a daily routine of prayer and manual labour born of the scriptural call to follow the Lord. And what St Anthony did for the solitary life, so did St Pachomius for the communal (after the Greek,cenobitic) monastic way. They were two manifestations of a life that spread throughout the Christian world like wildfire. Within the lifetimes of these two founders, thousands of men and women began fleeing the cities for the solitude of the desert, and the recognizable conception of the monastic life was born.
That life has continued throughout the whole of Christian history, giving rise to great saints—both men and women—who modelled a life of devotion to and union with Christ. And it continues today, in the ongoing monastic life of the Orthodox Church throughout the world. As it has been for over a thousand years, Mount Athos (the 'Holy Mountain') in Greece serves as the spiritual centre of Orthodox monasticism, which reaches into the furthest corners of the globe. In these monasteries, from the greatestlavra to the most humble of hermitages, the life of Christ continues to become, day by day, the life of man.
Click the tabs at the top of this text to explore the various resources on monasticism here on Monachos.net.
Monasticism Studies, Essays, Commentary and Papers We aim to provide a collection of resources on the study of Orthodox monasticism, including studies on the motivation for the monastic life, the call to asceticism, the history of early monasticism, and other related materials. Click the link below for an index of current studies. Click here for studies on monasticism... |  |
| Icon of St Anthony the Great of Egypt, a founding father of eremitical monasticism |
Monasticism is expressive of the spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, and in some sense Orthodox spirituality is intrinsically linked to monastic concepts - even as its spirituality is also lived out fully and wholly in non-monastic contexts. This area contains reflections of monastic spirituality, as well as other aspects of Orthodox spirituality related to it. |  |
| Icon of St Mary of Egypt, who has exerted a notable influence on Orthodox spirituality |
Mount Athos: The Holy Mountain
To the Orthodox, the Holy Mountain is the heart of the Church. It is here that Orthodox monasticism has found its centre since the end of the first millennium, and here that it still lives on in its thousand-year-old traditions. To the monastic, student of monasticism, or general monasticdokimos, there are few places more interesting and inviting than the Holy Mountain.
'Mount Athos' is the name of the peak that rises 2,033 metres out of the sea at the southernmost point of the northernmost peninsula of Halkidiki in Macedonia, Greece; yet often the entire peninsula is simply called 'Athos'. Officially, its Greek name isAghion Oros - the Holy Mountain - and as anyone who has studied the Holy Mountain knows, this small piece of land has had a long and interesting history. At one point, Xerxes of Persia dug a canal accross the base of the peninsula to save his ships from the savage storms that frequent the Athonite coast. Though it has long filled in with sediment, the path of his canal is still visible to the visitor today.
The same scenic piece of land that was so admired by the ancients, was adopted by monks before the close of the first millennium. The severity of the Athonite terrain, the solitude of its oceanic flanks on all but one side - and that barricaded by a natural mountain rise - all came together in a landscape that was an ideal match for the 'desert' longed for by ascetics of any age. Basil I issued an imperial charter to the monks of Athos in AD 883, preventing his military from interfering with the solitaries stationed therein, and thus was born the monastic community which has continued to practice the ascetic life without interruption from then until now. Today, the twenty large monasteries that form the autonomous state ofAghion Oros are combined with the community's capital city of Karyes, innumerablesketae (hamlets, or small communities dependent on a larger monastery) and solitary hermitages, serve as home to around 1,400 monks of all ages and backgrounds.
The monks of Athos today live much the same life that has been lived on the Holy Mountain since its first solitary hermits established the place as an ascetic stronghold. An edict by the emperor Constantine, issued in AD 1060, continues to forbid all females from entering the peninsula - including females of all species of animals except cats, who seem to prove useful in controlling the rat population. Men entering Athos as monks take up residence in one of the monestaries orsketae, and engage in a life of prayer and work that follows the traditional Byzantine monastic lifestyle, yet with a form all its own (and so revered that Orthodox monasteries the world over strive to emulate 'Athonite Monasticism'). Though Orthodox monastics do not take a vow of stability similar to that professed by monks in the West, it is customary for Athonite monks the remain in residence on the Holy Mountain throughout the whole of their lives - perhaps changing monasteries or adopting the more solitary life of theskete as they mature, yet rarely leaving Athos for a monastery elsewhere in the world.
The Jesus Prayer - The Prayer of the Heart(forthcoming)
The Jesus Prayer, also known as 'The Prayer of the Heart', is a tradition of prayer and practice in Orthodoxy which, while certainly not exclusive to monasticism or the monastic context, is often associated with the hesychastic traditions of monastic culture.
Our resource area on the Jesus Prayer includes information on the nature of inner prayer, background studies, historical and practical information. Several of the classical texts on the Jesus Prayer are included or referenced. Click the link for a listing of materials in this area.
Please check back soon for our resources on the Jesus Prayer...(forthcoming)
