Becoming
A Monk
To
become a monk you had to first become an oblate (unless you were old enough
to become a novice). to become an oblate, you had to be given to the monastery
by your father. Then, if you were old enough, you could take your first
vows and become a novice. Then , after several years, if the abbot(head
of the monastety) agrees, you can take your final vows and become a monk.
Life
In The Monastery
Life
in the monastery was very strict. They followed "rules" that were timetables
and rules. The monks had to give everything but a begging bowl away. It
was a very busy place. They had lay brothers and servants to do heavy
work for them because they spent most of the time in prayer.
In
The Dining Room
The
monks did not talk in the dining room. instead, they made signals to each
other. They were allowed only one meal a day in the wintertime and two
in the summertime. There were two separate dining rooms. the monks did
not eat meat except if they were ill and on certain days.
In
The Chapter House
The
chapter house is where monks can ask each other's pardon for anything
they have done wrong. They can also accuse each other of bad behavior
if they have good cause. It is called the chapter house because a chapter
from the rule that the monastery follows is read before they begin.
In
The Scriptorium
The
scriptorium was where books and manuscripts were written and illustrated.
The monks would decorate them with beautiful paints and gold leaf. The
monks that decorated them were called illuminators. You had to be very
skilled to be an illuminator. The books were written on parchment that
was made out of the skin of young animals. |