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*[http://www.serfes.org/poetry/gerondissaXeni.htm Orthodox Poetry Of Gerondissa (Abbess) Xeni Of Aegina, Greece (1867-1923)] - Compiled by Father Demetrios Serfes, Boise, Idaho, USA
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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: ''μοναχος''—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]].
The focus of monasticism is on [[theosis]], the process of perfection to which every Christian is called. This ideal is expressed everywhere that the things of God are sought above all other things, as seen for example in the ''[[Philokalia]]'', 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 (i.e., vows of poverty, chastity, stability, and obedience). The words of Jesus which are the cornerstone for this ideal are "be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."[[Image:Panteleimon_Monastery.jpg|right|thumb|350px|[[St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Athos)|St. Panteleimon's Monastery]] on [[Mount Athos]]]]
Thus, monks practice [[hesychasm]], the spiritual struggle of [[catharsis|purification]] (καθαρσιςκάθαρσις), [[theoria|illumination]] (θεωριαθεωρία) and [[theosis|divinization]] (θεοσιςθέωσις) in [[prayer]], the [[sacrament]]s and obedience.
==Precursors of the Christian monastic ideal==
: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of 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. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 3:1-6)
The female role models for monasticism are the [[Theotokos]] and the four virgin daughters of the [[Apostle Philip(of the Twelve)]]:
: And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto [[Caesarea]]: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. ([[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] 21:7-9)
[[Image:Romanian_hieromonk.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A Romanian 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:
==Origins of Christian monasticism==
The institution of Christian monasticism began in the deserts in 4th century Egypt as a kind of living [[martyr]]dom. Some scholars attribute the rise of monasticism at this time to the changes in Roman society that had been brought about subsequent to the Emperor St. [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]]'s [[conversion ]] and the legal tolerance of Christianity in the Roman Empire. This ended the position of Christians as a small, persecuted group, leading to the rise of nominal Christianity within the Church. In response, many who wished to maintain the intensity of the earliest years of Christian life fled to the desert to [[fasting|fast]] and pray, free from the fragmenting influence of the world. The end of persecution also meant that [[martyr]]dom was no longer as common, and so [[asceticism]] as a form of living martyrdom came to be pursued.
[[Image:Sinai_Monastery.jpg|left|thumb|350px|[[St. Catherine's Monastery (Sinai)|St. Catherine's Monastery]], Sinai, Egypt]]
From a very early time there were probably individuals who lived a life in isolation—hermits—in imitation of Jesus' 40 days in the desert. They have left no confirmed archaeological traces and only hints in the written record. St. 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 of 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 experience 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—in Paradise!") This variety of monasticism is called ''eremitic'' ("hermit-like").
St. [[Pachomius the Great]], a follower of Anthony, also acquired a following; he chose to mould them into a community in which the monks lived in individual huts or rooms—cells (from Greek κελλια)—but worked, ate, and worshipped in shared space. This method of monastic organization is called ''cenobitic'' ("community-based"). Most monastic life is [[cenobitic ]] in nature. The head of a monastery came to be known by the word for "Father" in Syriac, ''Abba''—in English, ''[[Abbot]]''.
Eventually, a pattern came to be established for some rare monks, having been formed in the communal life, to leave the cenobitic context and undertake the eremetic life. To attempt it without this prior formation is often considered to be spiritual suicide, frequently leading one to fall into [[prelest]], spiritual delusion.
In many cases in Orthodoxy, when a [[bishop]]ric needs to be filled, suitable candidates are found from nearby monasteries. Since many priests are married (before being ordained to the priesthood), but bishops are required to be celibate, monasteries are a good source of celibate men who are also spiritually mature and generally possessing the other qualities desired in a bishop. Numerous saints from the Church's tradition are examples of this practice.
==[[Monastic Ranks|Monastic grades]]==
When one desiring the monastic life enters a monastery, he or she normally passes through three steps or stages:
#Probationer - Novice, Riasaphor
#Monk of the Lesser Schema - Cross-bearer, Stavrophore
#Monk of the Great Schema - Russian Skhimnik
==See also==
*[[Mount Athos]]
*[[Monasteries and Monasticism]]
*[[Monastic Ranks]]
==External links==
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7103.asp Monasticism in the Orthodox Church] by Metropolitan [[Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh]]
*[http://www.kosovo.comnet/monasticism.html Orthodox Monasticism] (Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren)
*[http://www.romanity.org/htm/flo.01.en.the_ascetic_ideal_and_the_new_testament.01.htm The Ascetic Ideal and the New Testament] by Fr. [[Georges Florovsky]]
*[http://www.orthodox-monasteries.com/ Orthodox Monasteries Worldwide Directory]
[[Category:Asceticism]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Monasteries]]
[[el:Μοναχισμός]]
[[it:Monachesimo]]
[[mk:Манастир]]
[[ro:Monahism]]
