Monastery

A monastery is a system in which people ( in the contemplative religious monks or nuns called ) in a concentrated on the practice of their religion living together ( Vita communis). The monastery complex consists usually of worship, residential and farm buildings, and possibly other buildings.

In the western cultural area Christian monasteries are known in particular belong to the most part of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches. There are also Protestant ( for example, the Priory Saint Wigberti ) and ecumenical (like the Taizé ) monastic communities. In addition, also referred to monasteries Asian religions, especially the residential complexes of Buddhist monks and prayer and meditation centers Hindu communities as monasteries.

Christian tradition

Basic concepts

The naming of the monastery is derived from the Latin: claustrum, meaning " closed place " means ( see also: Exam ). It was later designated claustrum especially for western monastic architecture typical, called in German " cloister " courtyard of a monastery. In English ( cloister ), French ( cloître ), Italian ( chiostro ), Spanish ( claustro ), Polish ( Klasztor ) and in other languages ​​survived the Latin root still work in this specific meaning continues. In German, Dutch ( klooster ), Hungarian ( kolostor ), Estonian ( klooster ), Czech ( klášter ) and the Scandinavian languages ​​( monastery ) designation was generalized against and referred to the monastery building as a whole or the monastery as an institution in itself.

The monastic life of Christian monks and nuns is called monastic, which is derived from the Greek word for " Monk " ( μοναχός, monachos ). From the derived μοναστήριον ( monasterion, latin monasterium ) come to the German term " monastery" relevant designations in many other languages: monastery ( English), Монастырь ( in Russian), monastère (French ), monasterio (Spanish ). This root has been preserved in German also in the word Münster ( OHG munistri, munsri ).

As a convention, the whole community or community is generally referred to, who lives in a monastery, especially among the mendicant orders. This term is sometimes used also for the living area of the monastery itself. In a narrower sense, the Convention refers to the meeting of the Conventual, the voting members of the community. Monasteries, which regularly an abbot or an abbess, is called Abbey. Other terms for branches of various orders are Priorat, residence, home, community or fraternity.

A special feature is the name " Carmel " for a convent of Carmelite ( inn ) s after the eponymous mountain in Israel.

Construction

The ideal-typical structural floor plan of an early medieval monastery can be seen at the Monastery Plan of St. Gall. The church is usually the spatial and spiritual center of a monastery. The cloister is the most square and surrounded by a cloister of a monastery central area around which the monastery church, refectory ( dining room), dormitory (dormitories ) and Monastery Chapter ( meeting room) and the necessarium ( need space ) group. In addition, often include a number of secondary and farm buildings to monastery.

Monastic life

For classic monasteries monastic ( monastic ) life form is determinative. It is characterized by communal and individual prayer, contemplation, silence, contemplation and seclusion from the world, physical labor, intellectual and spiritual studies and hospitality. Is about for monastic orders also typically the lifetime commitment of the monk or the nun at the convent in which he or she has entered. In other orders, such as the mendicant orders, the possibility of a transfer from one monastery to another is common.

A monastery is usually associated with a religious community in the West, which generally determines the life in the monastery. Monastic orders, which klausuriert live in monasteries, such as Benedictine (lbs ) Cistercians (inside), Trappist ( inn ) en, Carmelite ( inn ) en, Poor Clares and Carthusians. Religious that are about the mendicant orders (eg Franciscans) or the Canons Regular (eg Premonstratensian ) also, but not exclusively live in monasteries and carry no strict monastic life.

In the Eastern tradition monasteries are much more independent than in the Western Church. They are either totally independent or loose associations, but not grouped as in the Western Church religious or monastic congregations. At the same time monasteries for religious and ecclesiastical life of the Orthodox churches play a highly significant role. The whole higher clergy of these churches comes from the monkhood.

History and cultural significance

The first monasteries have emerged in the 4th century hermit colonies (Egypt and Palestine).

The 361-363 was built in Egypt Coptic Monastery Anthony ( Anthony the Great dedicated ) is considered to be the oldest Christian monastery in the world. Also very old is the still existing monastery of Mor Gabriel in Tur Abdin (Turkey ), which in the year 397 of Shmuel ( Samuel ) and his student Shem'un (Simon ) was founded. This means that the monks and nuns continue a tradition lasting since 1600 years continuously.

One of the first western monasteries include the monastery Marmoutier on the Loire, believed to have been founded by Saint Martin of Tours, as well as on German soil, the Abbey of St. Maximin in Trier. In the year 529 Benedict of Nursia founded in Montecassino were, the prototype of western monastery and presented for the coexistence in the convent together a rule, the Rule of St. Benedict, which has shaped over many centuries the development of monasteries. The Benedictine monasticism on foot is still the influential monastic direction of Western Christendom. The Orthodox and Oriental monasteries of the Eastern tradition, however a majority follow the monastic rule of St. Basil of Caesarea, or of Theodore the Studite.

From the beginning, the monasteries were not only places of spiritual life, but also centers of handicraft and agricultural arts, as well as the exploration and collection of knowledge ( Monastery library). So you played an important role in maintaining or re-acquisition of lost since ancient times previous knowledge and its dissemination.

During the Middle Ages monasteries were important for the formation of Western culture and centers of education. Cultural work was almost exclusively in monasteries. Monks copied ancient books made ​​of works of art and cultural assets such as the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire and talked convent schools for their offspring. Basic skills like reading and writing were virtually spread over a long time only in the monasteries. This also led his own craft and farms and developed practical techniques in farming, in plant breeding or the herb and medicine (Convent Garden ), they sometimes also passed on to the population. Thus, the monasteries functioned as bases of proselytizing and culture and became important development centers. Prudent landlords realized this. They founded monasteries often in underdeveloped areas, and endowed them with large estates. The term pin, reminiscent of the Foundation by a secular Lord has arisen from it. A typical colonization orders were the Cistercians, who cleared large forest areas especially in the north and east of Europe and prepared for development by settlers.

Again and again, monastic reform movements directed against a too strong secularization of the monasteries. Mentioned here is about the Cluniac reform that emanated from Cluny Abbey, or reform of the Cistercian Order. Ever can be read as a constant alternation between " secularism " and reform in the sense of a return to the rules of the history of the monasteries. The reason for the ever-present danger of maladministration in the monasteries was particularly the fact that the entry is not always (only ) took place in a monastery for religious reasons, but also secular motifs such as political gain power and influence (such as from noble families in the Middle Ages ) economic and social security and supply (eg not heiress children who had no economic basis for their own family formation ) or prestige and career goals played a role. The lack of personal identification of individuals or whole groups of community members with the religious and ascetic goals of monastic life could gradually lead to the decline of morals of the entire monastery. Especially the reform-oriented, the monastic ideals strictly committed monasteries and convents associations, however, won in the Middle Ages great economic and political influence, which may seem from today's perspective as a form of " secularization ", but was at that time the world according viewed positively, as a rule.

With the growing influence of the cities the importance of classical monastic Monasteries sank. Their role as centers of culture and development now took over the cities with their craftsmen, schools and universities. With the advent of hospital and mendicant orders ( Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, Augustinians, Antoniter ) the new type of city monastery, where a completely different kind of religious life established, which did not follow the classical monastic ideals more developed. These monasteries were not deposited in hard to reach areas, but in the middle of the emerging cities. Virtually all major towns founded received at least one monastery within the city walls. The friars were like monks no longer bound to the monastery, but could be added in the course of their order or went on tour. They led not a purely contemplative life, but had in church ministry among the people and were devoted mainly to the pastoral care, preaching and other church functions.

Women was this new form of religious life, however, due to the then social restrictions until the 19th century, only very limited open. Among other things, therefore, led nuns in later times generally a strictly klausuriertes, contemplative life, even if their monasteries were in town and were independent of whether the tradition of the ancient monastic cloisters or the mendicant orders them (such as the Carmelites or the Poor Clares ). That changed only slowly with the advent of female teaching orders and charitable communities of sisters who worked in hospitals, schools or similar institutions. This women's order is opened up a new area in the relief of the poor, nursing and elderly care.

In the areas affected by the upheavals of the Reformation tracts of land were many monasteries in the 16th century canceled due to lack of demand, as most Protestant reformers faced the hostile religious life and calling on the religious to leave their monasteries. Also, by the effects of war and looting occurred (especially about the Thirty Years War in Germany ) repeatedly for the destruction of monasteries, which were then built not always. The largest incision made ​​but then the resolution of church property by the secularization following the French Revolution and the spread of the idea of a secular reason of state in the Napoleon dominated by areas. By secularization, the monastic estates were either directly to the state or to nobles, more rarely, to bourgeois families. From the result of the secularization Reichsdeputationshauptschluss circuit (1803 ) were affected at one go about 300 pins, monasteries and abbeys. They were partially demolished, partly used or sold elsewhere. Many monastic churches were (often under pressure from the believers back ) converted into parish churches, to save them from destruction. The monastic libraries, however, have been dissolved; their holdings were owned by the state on or were incorporated into private libraries. Many books were also lost.

At a turn of it came when religious communities were able to buy secularized monasteries in the second half of the 19th century or retransmitted in Catholic countries, partly got. Since that time, new monasteries are built and founded new religious communities. While many monasteries Nazism survived largely intact, it came in the dominion of communism, as well as in East Germany after 1945, again to resolutions or the nationalization of monastic property. In East Germany, the properties were transferred back after the turn of 1989. Since then it came again from there to start-ups. Overall, the offspring of the monasteries of Western Europe but declined sharply in the modern, pluralistic society during the 20th century due to the general decline in the significance of Christianity and piety.