Life of a MonkLife of a Monk

HousingEarly monasteries originated in Egypt as places where wandering hermits gathered. These early "monks" lived alone, but met in a common chapel. By the fifth century the monastic movement had spread to Ireland, where St. Patrick, the son of a Roman official, set out to convert the Irish to Christianity.

The Irish monks spread Christianity into Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland. St. Ninian established a monastery at Whithorn in Scotland about 400 AD, and he was followed by St. Columba (Iona), and St. Aidan, who founded a monastery at Lindisfarne in Northumbria.

Daily Life(Routine)Although the details of daily life differed from one order to the next , monastic life was generally one of hard physical work, scholarship and prayer. Some orders encouraged the presence of "lay brothers", monks who did most of the physical labour in the fields and workshops of the monastery so that the full-fledged monks could concentrate on prayer and learning.

Lay Brothers: In the past, the term lay brother was used within some Catholic religious institutes, to distinguish members who were not ordained from those members who were clerics (priests and seminarians).

MonastriesCeltic MonsatriesCeltic Monsatries

These Celtic monasteries were often built on isolated islands, as the lifestyle of the Celtic monks was one of solitary contemplation. There are no good remains of these early monasteries in Britain today.

The monks who lived in these monasteries were considered very holy men. As with local churches, people would work on monastic land for free - to show their love of God. While it is easy to see medieval monasteries as performing some form of con with regards to preying on the superstitions and beliefs of the peasants, this is too simplistic to be valid. People in a village might have to give up two days a week to work for free for a monastery

MealsTwo cooked dishes be enough for all the brothers: a third may be added if it is possible to grow or buy fruit and vegetables. One full pound of bread shall suffice for a day. The Monks of Micklegate would have had large gardens, orchards, and fish ponds in the 7 acres of land surrounding the monastery buildings. Here they would grow the food they needed to feed themselves their many guests.

Daily Timetable of a Monk• 5:45 am Wake-up• 6:00 am Church Service -- Prime• (or sunrise)• 6:30 am Breakfast• 7:00 am Chapter House for Mass,• Confession, given jobs to do.• Private reading & Prayer• 9:00 am Church Service -- Terce• & High Mass• 9:30 am Work• 12:00 noon Church Service • 1:00 pm Midday Meal• 1:30 pm Sleep, Reading or Prayer• 3:00 pm Church Service -- Nones• 3:30 pm Work• 6:00 pm Church Service -- Vespers• (or sunset)• 7:00 pm Private Reading and Prayer• 9:00 pm Church Service -- Compline• 9:30 pm to bed

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