MONASTIC LIFEMONASTIC LIFE

PRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEATPRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEAT

PRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEATPRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEAT

PRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEATPRAY, WORK, SLEEP, REPEAT

St. BenedictSt. Benedict

Born 480 A.D. in ItalyBorn 480 A.D. in Italy Moved away to live Moved away to live

alone and pray.alone and pray. Joined later by Joined later by

othersothers ““Little Rule for Little Rule for

Beginners”Beginners”

HERE ARE THE RULES!HERE ARE THE RULES!

http://www.pbs.org/empires/martinluther/monk_rules.html

A MONK IS A MONK…NOTA MONK IS A MONK…NOT

Not all monasteries the sameNot all monasteries the same Varied levels of wealthVaried levels of wealth Some attached to cathedralsSome attached to cathedrals Different clothingDifferent clothing

BUT….BUT….

All called to a life of service and All called to a life of service and obedience to churchobedience to church

A lifelong vowA lifelong vow

ASCETICISMASCETICISM

Denying oneself to reach a high plane of Denying oneself to reach a high plane of spiritualityspirituality

Ate simple meals (bread, fish, herbs, Ate simple meals (bread, fish, herbs, vegetables)vegetables)

Owned nothingOwned nothing ChasteChaste

MORNING SCHEDULEMORNING SCHEDULE

Midnight: Matins (1 hour) then to bedMidnight: Matins (1 hour) then to bed 6 a.m. : Prime (1/2 hour), eat, work6 a.m. : Prime (1/2 hour), eat, work 9 a.m. : Chapter Mass9 a.m. : Chapter Mass 10 a.m. : Chapter meeting (hear story, 10 a.m. : Chapter meeting (hear story,

get chores)get chores) 11 a.m. : High Mass11 a.m. : High Mass Noon : Dinner, napNoon : Dinner, nap

AFTERNOON SCHEDULEAFTERNOON SCHEDULE

2 p.m. : Nones (1/2 hour), work2 p.m. : Nones (1/2 hour), work 4 p.m. : Vespers (1/2 hour), work4 p.m. : Vespers (1/2 hour), work 6 p.m. : Supper (silent)6 p.m. : Supper (silent) 7 p.m. : Compline (1/2 hour), to bed7 p.m. : Compline (1/2 hour), to bed

WHAT DOES A MONK DO?WHAT DOES A MONK DO?

Garden: monasteries raised some or all Garden: monasteries raised some or all their own food and herbal medicinestheir own food and herbal medicines

Heal: Took care of the sick in their own Heal: Took care of the sick in their own and other communities and other communities

Teach: some opened schools, others Teach: some opened schools, others wandered around and taughtwandered around and taught

Write: translated and copied Write: translated and copied manuscriptsmanuscripts

Illuminate: the talented painted Illuminate: the talented painted pictures and embellished textpictures and embellished text

Like a day without Like a day without sunshine…sunshine…

““A monastery without books is like a A monastery without books is like a camp without troops, a table without camp without troops, a table without food, a tree without leaves.”food, a tree without leaves.”

Made their own paper, pens, paintMade their own paper, pens, paint

Scriptorium: the writing room – no fire!!Scriptorium: the writing room – no fire!!

Manuscripts “R” UsManuscripts “R” Us

http://irupert.com/HILDEGRD/oigniman.htmhttp://www2.hawaii.edu/~kjolly/151/images/kells2.jpg

BAD NEWS FOR EWESBAD NEWS FOR EWES

Used vellum instead of parchmentUsed vellum instead of parchment Vellum made of animal skin: sheep, Vellum made of animal skin: sheep,

goats, calvesgoats, calves 200 sheep = 1 large Bible200 sheep = 1 large Bible

STINKY INKYSTINKY INKY

ThickThick Made from soot or by boiling growths on Made from soot or by boiling growths on

oak treesoak trees Mistakes were scraped off, not erasedMistakes were scraped off, not erased

CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT?CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT?

Mercury and sulfur made a red (and Mercury and sulfur made a red (and poisonous) paint.poisonous) paint.

Saffron flowers made yellowSaffron flowers made yellow Gold leaf from beating gold coins thinGold leaf from beating gold coins thin Lapis lazuli stone made rich blue (most Lapis lazuli stone made rich blue (most

expensive color!)expensive color!) Gold and silver caught and reflected lightGold and silver caught and reflected light

REALLY ILLUMINATED!REALLY ILLUMINATED!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscript

WOMEN ALSO SERVEDWOMEN ALSO SERVED

Hildegard von Bingen – 1098-1179 A.D.Hildegard von Bingen – 1098-1179 A.D. Wrote more than 70 hymnsWrote more than 70 hymns Wrote books on medicine and scienceWrote books on medicine and science Founded 2 conventsFounded 2 convents Four preaching tripsFour preaching trips Visions or migraines? Or both?Visions or migraines? Or both? http://irupert.com/HILDEGRD/oigniman.htm

HARK, I HEAR A VOICEHARK, I HEAR A VOICE

Much of service chanted or sungMuch of service chanted or sung Ancient hymnsAncient hymns Plain chant (sometimes synonymous with Plain chant (sometimes synonymous with

Gregorian chant): no instruments, no Gregorian chant): no instruments, no harmony, just melody line.harmony, just melody line.

No musical notation for it until 1030 A.D.No musical notation for it until 1030 A.D.

MY RELIC IS BETTER MY RELIC IS BETTER THAN YOUR RELIC!THAN YOUR RELIC!

Holy relics were parts of saints or things Holy relics were parts of saints or things associated with saints.associated with saints.

Thought to have power to healThought to have power to heal People made pilgrimages to churches People made pilgrimages to churches

where relics were displayedwhere relics were displayed Reliquary: a storage case for a relic, Reliquary: a storage case for a relic,

often elaborate, though could be small as often elaborate, though could be small as a necklacea necklace

ST. AUGUSTINE’S ELBOW!

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/algeria/images/relic-hippo.jpg

ARM BONE OF ST. DESIDERIOUS

http://www.maryqueenoftheuniverse.org/museumrelic.html

RELIC WITH A NAIL FROM THE HOLY CROSS

http://www.khm.at/system2E.html?/staticE/page479.html

From the 1600s - not medieval

http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/ixbin/hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=compass&_IXSR_=of1&_IXSS_=_IXFPFX_%3dgraphical%252ffull%252f%26_IXNOMATCHES_%3dgraphical%252fno_matches%252ehtml%26%2524%2b%2528with%2bv2_searchable_index%2529%2bsort%3d%252e%26_IXDB_%3dcompass%26%257bUPPER%257d%253av2_free_text_tindex%3dreliquary%26_IXspage%3dsearch%26_IXsearchterm%3dreliquary&_IXFIRST_=10&_IXMAXHITS_=1&_IXSPFX_=graphical/full/lg&_IXimg=ps215418.jpg&submit-button=summary

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/relc/hd_relc.htm

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/06/eust/hob_53.19.2.htm

TOO MUCH OF ATOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? GOOD THING?

By end of Middle Ages monasteries (and By end of Middle Ages monasteries (and the church in general) wealthy.the church in general) wealthy.

Accused of corruption and not following Accused of corruption and not following St. Benedict’s rulesSt. Benedict’s rules

Large monasteries owned land and serfs Large monasteries owned land and serfs and collected taxesand collected taxes

Did not have to pay taxes.Did not have to pay taxes.

CHANGES IN CHANGES IN SOCIETY LATERSOCIETY LATER

More secular schools and universitiesMore secular schools and universities Somewhat higher level of literacySomewhat higher level of literacy However….However…. Little change in life of serfsLittle change in life of serfs Little or no accommodation for poor, Little or no accommodation for poor,

diseased, or dispossesseddiseased, or dispossessed