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[[Image:Panteleimon_Monastery.jpg|right|thumb|350px|[[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon's Monastery]] on [[Mount Athos]]]]{{spirituality}}'''Monasticism''' (from Greek: μοναχός, a solitary person) is the ancient Christian practice of withdrawal from the world in order to dedicate oneself fully and intensely to the life of the [[Gospel]], seeking union with [[Jesus Christ]].

While most people think of Thus, monks or nuns as "something to do with living in a monasterypractice [[hesychasm]]," from the Church's point spiritual struggle of view the focus has nothing to do with living in a monastery or performing any specific activity[[catharsis|purification]] (κάθαρσις), rather the focus is on [[theoria|illumination]] (θεωρία) and [[theosis|divinization]], the process of perfection to which every Christian is called. This idea is expressed everywhere that the things of God are sought above all other things, as seen for example (θέωσις) in the ''[[Philokaliaprayer]]'', a book of monastic writings. In other words, a monk or nun is a person who has vowed to follow not only the commandments of the Church, but also the counsels (e.g., vows of poverty, chastity, stability, [[sacrament]]s and obedience). The words of Jesus which are the cornerstone for this ideal are "be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."

==Precursor models Precursors of the Christian monastic ideal==The ancient models of the modern Christian monastic ideal are the [[NaziriteNazarite]]s and the [[prophet]]s of Israel. A Nazirite Nazarite was a person voluntarily separated to the Lord, under a special vow.

: ''Speak to unto the Israelites children of Israel, and say to unto them: 'If a , When either man or woman wants shall separate themselves to make a special vow, a vow of separation a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD as a Nazirite, he must abstain : He shall separate himself from wine and other fermented strong drink, and shall drink During no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the entire period days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor may be used on come upon his head. He must : until the days be holy until fulfilled, in the period of his separation to which he separateth himself unto the LORD is over; , he must shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long. Throughout All the period of his separation to days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he must not go near a shall come at no dead body. Throughout He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the period consecration of his separation he God is consecrated to the LORDupon his head.' ([[Numbers]] 6:2-8, NIV)''

[[Image:Wadi Qelt.jpg|left|thumb|350px|Monastery of St. [[George the Chozebite]], Wadi Qelt<br>(On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho)]]The prophets of [[Israel]] were set apart to the Lord for the sake of a message of [[repentance]]. Some of them lived under extreme conditions, voluntarily separated or forced into seclusion because of the burden of their message. Other prophets were members of communities, schools mentioned occasionally in the Scriptures but about which there is much speculation and little known. The pre-Abrahamic prophets, [[Enoch]] and [[Melchizedek]], and especially the Jewish prophets [[Elijah]] and his disciple [[Elisha]] are important to Christian monastic tradition. The most frequently cited "role-model" for the life of a hermit separated to the Lord, in whom the Nazarite and the prophet are believed to be combined in one person, is [[John the Baptist]]. John also had disciples who stayed with him and, as may be supposed, were taught by him and lived in a manner similar to his own.:

: ''1 In those days came John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of Judea heaven is at hand.For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.. 4 And the same John's clothes were made had his raiment of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around leathern girdle about his loins; and his waist. His food meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 People Then went out to him from Jerusalem , and all Judea Judaea, and all the whole region of the round about Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they And were baptized by of him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.'' ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew 3]], NIV3:1-6)

The female role models for monasticism are the [[Mary the mother of JesusTheotokos]] and the four virgin daughters of the [[Apostle Philip (of the EvangelistTwelve)]]:

: ''7 On finishing the voyage And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we arrived at came to Ptolemais, greeted and saluted the brothersbrethren, and stayed abode with them for one day. 8 The And the next day we left that were of Paul's company departed, and came to unto [[Caesarea. We went to ]]: and we entered into the home house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven, ; and stayed abode with him. 9 He And the same man had four unmarried daughters who could , virgins, which did prophesy.'' ([[Acts of the Apostles|Acts 21]], NIV21:7-9)

[[Image:Romanian_hieromonk.jpg|right|thumb|250px|This image from a monastery in Rumania shows the [[abbot]] (or [[igumen]]) seated in the chair reserved for his status. He is holding the staff of his office and wearing the [[epitrachelion]] that symbolizes his priesthood as a [[hieromonk]].]]The monastic ideal is also modeled upon the [[Apostle Paul]], who is believed to have been [[celibacy|celibate]], and a tentmaker:

:''7 For I wish would that all men were even as I ammyself. But each every man has hath his own proper gift from of God; , one has after this giftmanner, and another has after that. 8 Now I say therefore to the unmarried and the widows I say: It , it is good for them to stay unmarried, if they abide even as I am.'' ([[1 I Corinthians|1 Corinthians 7]], NIV7:7-8)

But, the consummate prototype of all modern Christian monasticism, communal and solitary, is [[JesusChrist]]:

:'' 5 Your attitude should Let this mind be the same as that of in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature the form of God, did thought it not consider equality robbery to be equal with God something to be grasped, 7 but : But made himself nothingof no reputation, taking and took upon him the very nature form of a servant, being and was made in human the likeness. 8 of men: And being found in appearance fashion as a man, he humbled himself , and became obedient to unto death&mdash;, even the death on a of the cross!'' . ([[Epistle to the Philippians|Philippians 2]], NIV2:5-8)

Additionally, the earliest Church was a model for monasticism. The first Christian communities lived in common, sharing everything, according to [[Acts of the Apostles]].

Institutional Christian monasticism seems to have begun in [[Image:Sinai_Monastery.jpg|left|thumb|350px|[[St. Catherine's Monastery (Sinai)|St. Catherine's Monastery]], Sinai, Egypt]]Ss. [[Anthony the Great|Anthony]] and [[Pachomius the deserts Great|Pachomius]] were early monastic founders in AD Egypt, although [[4th centuryPaul of Thebes]] is the very first Christian historically known to have been living as a monk. Orthodoxy also looks to [[EgyptBasil the Great]] as a kind founding monastic legislator, as well as the example of living the [[martyrdomDesert Fathers]]. Scholars such as St. [[Lester K. LittleBenedict of Nursia]] attribute , who based his own ''Rule'' on that of St. Basil, is often credited with being the rise father of Western monasticism at this . From a very early time to there were probably individuals who lived a life in isolation&mdash;hermits&mdash;in imitation of Jesus' 40 days in the immense changes desert. They have left no confirmed archaeological traces and only hints in the church that had been brought about by written record. St. Anthony of Egypt lived as a [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantinehermit]]'s conversion and developed a following of other hermits who lived nearby but not in community with him. On the acceptance other hand, [[Paul of Chritianity Thebes]] lived not very far from Anthony in absolute solitude, and was looked upon even by Anthony as a perfect monk. (When St. Anthony first encountered him, he came away from the main Roman religionexperience saying, "Woe is me, my children, a sinful and false monk, who am a monk in name only. I have seen Elijah, I have seen John the Baptist in the desert, and I have seen Paul&mdash;in Paradise!") This ended variety of monasticism is called ''eremitic'' ("hermit-like").  St. [[Pachomius the position Great]], a follower of Christians as Anthony, also acquired a small group that believed itself following; he chose to be mould them into a community in which the godly elitemonks lived in individual huts or rooms&mdash;cells (from Greek &kappa;&epsilon;&lambda;&lambda;&iota;&alpha;)&mdash;but worked, ate, and worshipped in shared space. In response a new more advanced form This method of dedication was developed to preserve a nucleus of the dedicatedmonastic organization is called ''cenobitic'' ("community-based"). Most monastic life is [[cenobitic]] in nature. The end head of persecution also meant that a monastery came to be known by the word for "Father" in Syriac, ''Abba''&mdash;in English, ''[[martyrdomAbbot]] was no longer an option to prove one's piety. Instead the longterm martyrdom of the ascetic become common'.

Others point to historical evidence that individuals were living the life later known as monasticism before the legalization of Christianity. In fact it is believed by the [[Carmelites]] that they were started by the Jewish prophet [[Elijah|Elias]]. [[Anthony the Great]] and [[Pachomius]] were early monastic innovators in EgyptEventually, although [[Paul the Hermit]] is the very first Christian historically known to have been living as a monk. Eastern Orthodoxy looks pattern came to [[Basil the Great|Basil of Caesarea]] as a founding monastic legislatorbe established for some rare monks, as well as having been formed in the example of the [[Desert Fathers]]. [[Benedict]] is often credited with being the 'father of Western monasticism'. From a very early time there were probably individuals who lived a communal life in isolation&mdash;hermits&mdash;in imitation of Jesus's 40 days in the desert. They have left no confirmed archaeological traces and only hints in the written record. Anthony of Egypt lived as a [[hermit]] and developed a following of other hermits who lived nearby but not in community with him. On the other hand, [[Paul the hermit]] lived not very far from Anthony in absolute solitude, and was looked upon even by Anthony as a perfect monk. This variety of monasticism is called '''eremitical''' or "hermit-like". [[Pachomius]], a follower of Anthony, also acquired a following; he chose to mould them into a community in which leave the monks lived in individual huts or rooms (''cellula'' in [[Latin]], "cell", which has a different connotation in modern English) but worked, ate, cenobitic context and worshipped in shared space. This method of monastic organization is called '''cenobitic''' or "community-based." All undertake the familiar monastic orders are cenobitic in natureeremetic life. In Catholic theology, To attempt it without this community based living prior formation is often considered superior because of the obedience practiced and because one is less likely to err then be spiritual suicide, frequently leading one would be by oneself. The head of a monastery came to be known by the word for "Father" in Syriac, ''Abba,'' in English, "fall into [[Abbotprelest]]", spiritual delusion.

==HistoryThe place of monasticism in society==Beginning in Egypt (with such saints as [[Anthony the Great]] and [[Paul of Thebes]]) and spreading to the Middle East and then Europe, monasticism became a central aspect of life during the western Middle Ages and the high period of the Roman ("Byzantine" ) Empire in the East. The first non-Roman area to adopt the system was Ireland, which developed a unique form closely linked to traditional clan relations, a system that later spread to other parts of Europe, especially France.

[[Image:Whitby_Abbey.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The ruins of [[Whitby Abbey]], Northumbria, England]]In the West, the system broke down in the eleventh and twelfth centuries as religion began to change. Religion became far less a preserve of the religious elite. This was closely linked to the rise of mendicant orders such as the Franciscan friars, who were dedicated to spreading the word in public, not in closed monasteries. Religious behavior changed as common people began to take communion and actively participate in religion. The growing pressure of the nation states and monarchies also threatened the wealth and power of the orders. Finally, after Vatican II in Rome, "religious" orders saw a massive exodus of members, and many monastics left off wearing the traditional garb of their orders. On the whole, monasticism is in severe decline in the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Nevertheless, monasticism is still is reflected strongly in western culture. Modern universities have attempted to ape Christian monasticism in a number of ways. Even in the New Worldwhere monasticism has never been a standard part of societal life, universities are built in the Gothic style of twelfth century monasteries. Communal meals, dormitory residences, elaborate rituals and dress all borrow heavily from the monastic tradition.

In the East, monasticism continued to thrive even after the [[Great Schism]] of the eleventh century, becoming a touchstone and unifying center for Christians in the declining Roman Empire. After , even after the [[Fall of Constantinople]], .

Today monasticism remains ==[[Monastic Ranks|Monastic grades]]==When one desiring the monastic life enters a major part of the Orthodox Christian faith.monastery, he or she normally passes through three steps or stages:

==Nature of monasticism==#Probationer - Novice, RiasaphorChristian monasticism is in itself a lay order, originally not having clergy as a standard part #Monk of the community (thusLesser Schema - Cross-bearer, monks relied on local parishes for sacramental life). However, if the monastery was isolated in the desert, as were many Stavrophore #Monk of the Egyptian examples, that inconvenience compelled monasteries either to take in priest members, to have their abbot ordained, or to have other members ordained. A priestGreat Schema -monk is called a [[hieromonk]]. In many cases in Orthodoxy, when a [[bishop]]ric needed to be filled, suitable candidates would be found from nearby monasteries. Since many priests were married (before being ordained to the priesthood), but bishops were required to be celibate, monasteries were a good source of celibate men who were also spiritually mature and generally possessing the other qualities desired in a bishop. St. [[Gregory Palamas]] is one such example. Russian Skhimnik