Ancient abbeys are examples of ancient architecture. These are incredibly beautiful cathedrals that are actively visited by tourists today. It is noteworthy that the architecture of these monastic complexes is fraught with many mysteries for historians. They are decorated with decor, the elements of which belong to groups of occult symbols, which arouses even greater interest among both specialists and tourists. So, we will look at the meaning of the word “abbey” and the most interesting ancient monastic complexes below.

What is an abbey?

An abbey is a Catholic monastery. Catholics make up the majority of the believers in Europe and Latin America. The Catholic Church is a strict hierarchical system, headed by the Pope. And abbots occupy not the last level in this system.

In the Middle Ages, abbeys were the richest and largest monasteries. They had not only religious, but also political and economic influence on the country. So, who is an abbot?

Meaning of the word

It is the abbot (male) or abbess (female) who runs the abbey. They report directly to the bishop or even the pope.

Who is an abbot from a linguistic point of view? The origin and history of this title is very ancient. The very word "abbot" (in Latin - abbas) has Hebrew and Syriac ( abba) roots and means father. In Catholicism, this is the name given to the abbot of a Catholic monastery. Initially, in the V-VI centuries. this title was given to all abbots of monasteries, however, with the advent of various religious orders, many synonyms for the word “abbot” appeared. Thus, the Carthusians called the abbots priors, the Franciscans - guardians, and the Jesuits - rectors.

As a rule, a priest was appointed to the post of rector by a bishop or pope for a life term.

History of appearance

The emergence of religious communities dates back to the origins of Christianity. Even then, people gathered around the home of a man known for his holiness. They built houses around this place and voluntarily submitted to this man. Over time, such religious communities began to devote themselves to serving God.

This is a monastery built like a real fortified town. In addition to the monastery, the complex included multiple buildings. Stables and workshops were built here. The monks planted gardens. In general, there was everything needed for subsistence farming. Since lay people also lived in the abbey, the architecture of the monastery provided for their separation from each other.

Over time, the abbeys turned into entire complexes of buildings, which included refectories, hospitals, libraries and chapter halls in which the monks held meetings. The abbot had separate chambers. Of course, this general picture was complemented various details, depending on the individual charter of the order.

Since most of the monasteries were very often rebuilt as a result of battles, their original appearance it's hard to imagine. It is known that almost every order was distinguished by its own architectural style, which, alas, was sometimes not possible to recreate exactly during the restoration.

The first was called Benedictine. It was founded by Nursi in the 6th century in Italy. Already in the 8th century, Benedictine monasteries were built in many corners Western Europe. By the beginning of the 12th century, the Benedictines had enormous power. They managed their own lands and actively built temples and churches.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey in London is one of the most famous and ancient in the world. Its appearance has remained virtually unchanged since its discovery in 1066. Officially, Westminster Abbey is called the Collegiate Church of St. Peter. The monastery amazes with its majestic splendor, which came from time immemorial. Slim and graceful gothic style makes it one of the most beautiful monasteries in the world.

The history of Westminster Abbey begins in the 960-970s. The first to settle here were the Benedictine monks. They built a small monastery, but in XII, Edward the Confessor ordered it to be rebuilt, making it larger and more majestic. Westminster Abbey opened to the public in February 1066.

Since its creation, Westminster Abbey has been the main church in Great Britain. This is where the monarchs of Britain are crowned and buried. But not only monks find their final refuge in the monastery - famous subjects of the English crown, including great poets, actors, and musicians, are buried in the so-called “Poets' Corner”. In total, there are about 3,000 burials in Westminster Abbey.

Interesting fact! Some of the royal offspring were also married at the abbey. So, Prince Harry married Kate Middleton here.

Bath Abbey

The former and now Church of Saints Peter and Paul is located in Bath (a city in England). The Abbey is a perfect example of the Gothic architectural style. It is one of the largest British monasteries. Initially, the monastery was supposed to become a women's monastery - in 675, the land for the construction of the temple was given to Abbess Bertha. But later the monastery became a men's monastery.

The abbey enjoyed great influence during its heyday. Later there was an episcopal see here, which then moved to Wales. After the Reformation, the monastery, which had lost its former influence, was closed and the lands were sold.

It was only in the 16th century that a parish church was opened here. Elizabeth I ordered the restoration of this church in the Perpendicular Gothic style - this is how it should have looked originally, but at that time the abbey did not have enough funds for such a grandiose project.

Abbey of Mont Saint Michel

This abbey is called the eighth wonder of the world. Mont Saint Michel is located in France and is one of the most popular French attractions. The abbey, located on a rocky island, is surrounded on all sides by the sea, and only a dam connects it to the land. Once upon a time, only at low tide it was possible to walk to this majestic structure.

According to legend, these rocks were brought to the sea by giants. Mont Tombe, also known as Saint-Michel, was carried on the shoulders of a giant, and the second rocky hill, Tombelen, was dragged by his wife. However, they got tired and abandoned the rocks not far from the shore.

The history of this stunningly beautiful monastery begins in the 8th century. It is believed that the Archangel Michael himself appeared in a dream to Bishop Aubert, ordering him to build a monastery on the island. However, the saint had to visit the bishop twice more before he correctly interpreted his command. That is why the name of the monastery is translated as “Mount of St. Michael”.

The abbey was built slowly - it took 500 years to give it its current appearance. Today, only a few dozen people live in the monastery, but more than 3,000,000 tourists visit it every year.

Lérins Abbey

Lérins Abbey is located on the small island of Saint-Honoré (Lérins Islands). It is a complex consisting of a huge monastery and seven chapels. Today the abbey is open to tourists and bears the title of a historical monument of France.

The history of Lérins Abbey is very rich. Island for a long time it remained uninhabited, as it was infested with snakes. The Romans, who ruled French soil at that time, were afraid to visit it. But in 410 the hermit Honorat of Arelat decided to settle here. He sought to find solitude, but his disciples decided to follow him, forming a small community. This is how the history of Lérins Abbey began. It was Honorat who later compiled the “Rule of the Four Fathers,” which later became the first monastic charter in France.

Lérins Abbey was attacked more than once. So, in 732 the monastery was almost completely destroyed by the Saracens. In 1047 it fell into the hands of the Spaniards. During times French Revolution The monastery was bought by a French actress, who turned it into a guest house. But today the monastery, rebuilt by Bishop Fréjus in the nineteenth century, stands majestically on the island and welcomes tourists.

In addition to the monastery itself and the chapels, tourists can visit the museum of historical manuscripts and the cloister (courtyard).

Bellapais Abbey

The abbey is located in the village of the same name, just a few miles from Kyrenia. Today (in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) it is a dilapidated building, but some of its buildings have retained their original appearance. This building is one of the most bright examples ancient Gothic culture in Cyprus. A part has also been preserved decorative elements. Thus, tourists enjoy admiring the ancient church, decorated with frescoes, stairs and columns that have preserved their original architectural style, refectory (monastic dining room).

Unfortunately, very little facts are known about this monastery. It was founded by Augustinian monks who arrived from Jerusalem. In 1198, construction began on the monastery of St. Mary of the Mountain. In the 13th century, the monastery was transferred to the Order of Demonstrators, who probably built the church that has survived to this day. Because the monks wore white robes, they were informally called the "White Abbey".

Monastery of Saint Gall

This abbey is located in Switzerland, in the heart of the city of St. Gallen. Belongs to the group of the most ancient monasteries in the world. In 612, on the site of the monastery, Saint Gall built himself a cell. Later, the Benedictine abbot Othmar built a huge monastery on the site of the small cell, which very quickly began to generate income for the city through donations from wealthy parishioners. Until the 18th century it retained its original appearance. But in the 18th century, the ancient monastery complex was demolished, and a new, even larger and more majestic monastery in the Baroque style was built in its place.

The library is especially valuable on the territory of the monastery. It contains about 160,000 medieval manuscripts. The plan of Saint Gall is also kept here, which is an idealized picture medieval monastery, written back in the 9th century.

Abbey Maria Laach

In the Eifel mountains in Germany, on the shores of Lake Laach, there is a monastery, small, elegant and sophisticated. Founded in 1093 by a noble couple, it still retains its architectural beauty. During the construction of this monastery, several types of stone were used, as a result of which the interior of the monastery is distinguished by unique decorative elements.

Decorated with mosaics depicting floral patterns and Germanic mythology, the monastery is striking in its graceful beauty. An enclosed garden is attached to the western wing of the facade, which is surrounded by an arched gallery. Such cozy corners are called cloisters and are distinctive feature Romanesque monasteries.

Currently, the cathedral is open to tourists, among whom it is in great demand.

Conclusion

All of the abbeys described above are unique and incredibly valuable buildings for historians. However, tourists show even greater interest in them. After all, these are holy places filled with a special, divine atmosphere.

In Christendom there is an orderly system of titles and orders that divide the clergy into certain categories. Such a hierarchy is needed in order to avoid chaos and confusion, because, despite the common goal of all followers of Christ (preaching the word of God), someone still has to lead the rest.

Therefore, let's consider such a Catholic rank as the abbot of a monastery. After all, despite the fact that today this title is rarely used among the clergy, in the old days everything was completely different. But let's talk about everything in order.

So, in order to understand what an abbot is, you need to go to the beginning of the 5th century. In those distant times, when the first Catholic monasteries were just appearing in Europe. Naturally, along with this, there had to be someone who would take on the role of a mentor, capable of not only managing the life of the community, but also establishing contacts with the rest of the world.

It was during this period that the first abbot of a small monastery appeared, appointed by the Pope himself. A little later, at a general meeting of the clergy, this rank was officially approved, and from now on all abbots of monasteries received the same title.

What is an abbot in the Catholic hierarchy of that time?

It should be noted that from the 5th to the 8th century the abbot was the main manager of the monastery. His power allowed him to make many decisions related to domestic politics monastery The abbot submitted to the bishop, and also, like any Catholic priest, to the Pope. Although there were also autonomous monasteries, whose abbots carried out only the instructions of the Pope.

Over the years, the power of the abbots increased rapidly and allowed them to influence the decisions of local land stewards. Moreover, some abbots themselves were landowners, since the Catholic Church granted them their own plots, naturally, for the needs of the monastery.

Changes in order with the coming to power of the Carolingians

The turning point was the rise to power of Charles Martell. In the period from the VIII to the X centuries. the management of the monasteries passed into the hands not so much of the clergy as of adherents of the power of the kings. If you understand what an abbot of those times was, then in most cases he was a vassal of the ruler who had proven himself in battle.

Such appointments to the position of abbot were a kind of incentives or payments. At the same time, the managers of the monasteries themselves did not really want to listen to the orders of the bishops, which clearly did not suit the latter.

Who is the abbot today?

Carolingian rule collapsed, after which power changed hands again catholic church. And although such castlings often took place in history, the position of the abbots did not change much as a result. As before, they were ordinary monastery stewards, subject to the orders of the bishops.

However, starting from the 16th century in France, all young men who were ordained to the church began to be called abbots. Moreover, most of them did not even have spiritual titles.

Given this increase in the number of abbots, their importance for the church fell sharply. Therefore, many of them began to work as ordinary teachers, teaching in theological schools or houses of the nobility.

But what is an abbot today? Nowadays this word is extremely rarely used both in the secular and spiritual life of Catholics. The title of abbot is rather a tribute to the past than a full title.

lat. abbas) - the head of an abbey, a monastery belonging to one of the ancient monks. orders, such as the Benedictines, Cistercians, etc. In the early stages of the history of Christ. monasticism A. (from the Aram. abba - father) was called a monk experienced in asceticism, thanks to his spirit. the gift of instructing young monks, without being their leader in the ecclesiastical legal sense. After the spread of communal monasteries (cines), A. began to be called abbots of monasteries. According to the Charter of St. Benedict (Regula Benedicti 2, 1; 64, 13, etc.), A. (dominus et abbas) is primarily a spiritual father, teacher and shepherd, and therefore must take care of both the material well-being of the monastery and the salvation of the souls of the brothers ( Regula Benedicti 2, 33); he is elected by the brothers and fulfills his duties for life, sharing them with his assistants and listening to the advice of other monks. In the VIII–IX centuries. A.'s position becomes one of the key ones in politics. Middle-century system West. The Gregorian reform brought Armenia out of subordination to the imperial power. At the councils in Rome (826) and Poitiers (1078) it was first determined that A. should have the priestly rank; The Council of Vienne extended this decision to the entire Church. However, due to the fact that abbeys sometimes owned large material assets, abuses occurred when persons who were not monks were allowed to use the income on the rights of A. (abbas in commendam). This practice was prohibited by the Council of Trent.

In the 1983 CCP, A. is equated to the abbot of a monastery or monk. communities.

Literature: Vogue A. de. La communauté et l'abbe dans la Regle de Saint Benoit. P., 1961; Salmon P. L'abbO dans la tradition monastique. P., 1962; Felten F.J. Abte und LaienKbte im Frankenreich. Stuttgart, 1980; Penco G. La figura dell’abate nella tradizione spirituale del monachesimo // Medioevo monastico. R., 1988, p. 371–385.

(abbeys) and was the title of an ecclesiastical office. Later it extended to all young people of clergy and became a form of politeness.

A similar title with a feminine ending is abbess, from lat. Abbatissa, - later they began to give it to the abbess of women’s monasteries.

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Birth of the Gothic: Abbot Suger and the ambulatory at St. Denis

The birth of Gothic: Abbot Suger and the arcade in Saint-Denis

Pear variety Abbot Fetel 09/21/2015

Abbot Faria: what was it really like?

Advent Retreat with Abbot Tryphon "I Will Walk Among You" - Part One

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[Music plays] Here we are in the Basilica of Saint Denis. The Gothic style was born here - thanks to Suger, who was abbot here in the first half of the 12th century. The significance of this church is enormous; members of royal families are buried here. Because Suger himself was an adviser to the royal family. We are standing in the choir. Light is pouring from the windows. The choir is the space behind the altar of the church. And the arcade is a covered gallery through which you can walk behind the altar. Now we are just walking along it behind the altar. Suger completed the construction of the arcade and facade of the church. Both have been under construction for a long time. There was a church here back in the 9th century. And Suger decided that it was not suitable for the burial of kings. At this historical moment, the kings of France actually controlled only the Ile-de-France, this is the area immediately around Paris. But at this time the power of the kings was growing, and Suger really wanted to create an architectural style that would reflect the growing greatness of the monarch. As was traditionally done in Western temple architecture, the arcade usually goes around the back of the altar, and this allows pilgrims to stop at each of these small side chapels. In these small rooms where relics were kept. In the past, during the reign of the Romanesque style, these chapels were literally separate rooms surrounded by walls. But Suger decided instead to create an open space and let light in - and that’s exactly what happened here. It probably seemed very unusual compared to everything that had happened before. Instead of a series of walls that sometimes have windows in them - and in the Romanesque style these are relatively small windows - he instead found a way to design this stone structure so that the walls practically disappear, giving way to glass, colored glass, letting in this bright, multi-colored light. Let's focus on two points: how he did it and, secondly, why he did it. Yes. Where do we start? Well, let's tell you how he did it. If you look up, you can see a complex web of interlocking pointed arches. Pointed arches are the main element here. Firstly, they allow you to work with spaces of different shapes and sizes. Perhaps the main advantage of a pointed arch is that it directs the load primarily downwards, rather than to the sides. And therefore the architect does not need to make the walls thick. A traditional Romanesque arch usually has to rest on fairly massive walls because it pushes a lot to the sides. It is expanding. And the pointed arch takes the weight of the arch and points it straight down, so it doesn't need to be supported from the sides. When you look up at the ribs of the arches, it seems that they are being pulled upward. And all these ribs of the vault lie on these thin columns. This gives the room elegance and a feeling of spaciousness. This is radically different from the previous Romanesque style, where everything is very massive, where the eye constantly returns along a rounded arch downward, and there is a pressing feeling, as if you are being pressed to the ground. In the Romanesque style. But here everything is different. Let us not forget that any church, a consecrated church, is a symbol of Holy Jerusalem. This is heaven on earth. The essence of the idea is to transport us to a more heavenly, more sublime place. Abbot Suger believed that this could be done with the help of light. Suger thought that he was reading the philosophy of Saint Dionysius, the patron saint of this church. In fact, he was reading a philosopher who lived in the sixth century. But the main thing is that he took from this text the idea of ​​​​the divinity of light and showed how to put it into practice, in architectural form. Yes. The text he attributed to Saint Dionysius spoke of the connection between light and the divine. So Suger decided to open the openings in the walls and let light in to help parishioners move from thoughts about light to thoughts about God. It was a revolutionary approach, which, generally speaking, went against other theological theories of that time. If you think about the ideas that St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who called for a complete abandonment of decor, to abandon everything that can distract us. Suger offers another idea, he says, no, in fact, we can bring people closer... Visual design is not a distraction, it is a means of bringing us closer to the divine. I must say, in my opinion, Suger completely succeeded. This is amazing beauty, it is truly uplifting.

More details

As long as monasteries were subject to the rules laid down by Saint Benedict (until the early 10th century), "abbot" was the common name for their abbots. Since the 10th century, new spiritual orders began to emerge, and only a few of them, such as the Premonstratensians, Cistercians and Trappists, were ruled by abbots, and the heads of most of the rest were called: majores (majores) (among the Camaldulians), priors (among the Carthusians, Hieronymites , Dominicans, Carmelites, Augustinians, etc.), guardians (among the Franciscans) or rectors (among the Jesuits). There were abbesses not only in the convents of the mentioned orders, but also among the nuns of the Fontevrode order and among secular canonists. Many orders were reluctant to use this title out of a sense of humility.

The abbots occupied different positions in relation, on the one hand, to the order, and on the other, to the monks of their monasteries subordinate to them. For example, among the Benedictines, the abbot appointed by the convention enjoys complete independence, while among the Cistercians he is bureaucratically subordinate Supreme Council in Clairvaux. Before the monks were included in the clergy, the abbot had the right and obligation to monitor compliance with the order's rules, manage the monastic estates and demand unconditional obedience from the monks. The punitive power of abbots over their monks was quite extensive; Previously, even corporal punishment was often used, and at the beginning of the 20th century, abbots and abbesses still enjoyed the right to subject their subordinates not only to temporary, but also to life imprisonment for serious crimes. Among the Benedictines, an appeal against the abbot's punitive sentence is submitted to the bishop or the Pope.

Back in the 6th century, abbots were ranked among the clergy, and after the Second Council of Nicaea they were given the right to ordain their monks to lower positions. All abbots belong to the prelates of the church, occupy a place in the hierarchy immediately after the bishops and have the right to vote at councils. They fought for the same rights abbess, but could not receive it also because women cannot perform any sacred rites. They remained subordinate to the bishops of their diocese, while the abbots tried to free themselves from this subordination through privileges. The abbots of the liberated monasteries do not recognize any authority over themselves other than that of the pope.

Starting from the 7th century, bishops often interfered with the rights of abbots, appointed, at their own discretion, their favorites to the positions of abbots, and when these places were vacated, they even left the abbeys behind them. Even more dangerous for the dignity of this rank was the fact that in VIII and especially in Leo X the cassocks had a small collar, and the hair was curled in ringlets. But since only a few of the entire number of abbots could count on the fulfillment of their desire, a significant part of them began to take the place of home teachers in noble houses or penetrate families as spiritual advisers and friends of the house, and their influence too often turned out to be harmful. That is why in ancient French comedies, abbots play a less than attractive role.

Some other young clergy who did not hold official positions tried to obtain positions in higher educational institutions or to gain fame as poets and writers. It was not until the end of the 18th century, during the French Revolution, that abbots disappeared from French society, and the title is now used by the French as a form of politeness towards the white clergy, starting with the rank of deacon. The French word abbot corresponds to the Italian abbate, and this title is used to address any young clergyman who has not yet received priestly orders.

1. Introduction
2. Residents of the monastery
3. Time and discipline
4. Architecture

Christian monasticism arose in the Egyptian and Syrian deserts. In the 3rd century, some believers, in order to hide from the world with its temptations and completely devote themselves to prayer, began to leave pagan cities for deserted places. The first monks who practiced extreme asceticism lived either alone or with several disciples. In the 4th century, one of them, Pachomius from the Egyptian city of Thebes, founded the first cenobitic (cinen) monastery and wrote a charter that described how monks should live and pray.

In the same century, monasteries began to appear in the west of the Roman world - in Gaul and Italy. After 361, the former Roman soldier Martin founded a hermit community near Poitiers, and after 371, the Marmoutier monastery near Tours. Around 410, Saint Honorat of Arles created the Lérins Abbey on one of the islands in the Bay of Cannes, and Saint John Cassian, around 415, created the monastery of Saint-Victor in Marseille. Later, thanks to the efforts of St. Patrick and his followers, their own - very severe and ascetic - tradition of monasticism appeared in Ireland.

Unlike hermits, the monks of cenobitic monasteries united under the authority of the abbot and lived according to the charter created by one of the fathers. In the Eastern and Western Christian world there were many monastic rules  Pachomius the Great, Basil the Great, Augustine of Hippo, Columbanus, etc., but the most influential was the charter drawn up around 530 by Benedict of Nursia for the Abbey of Montecassino, which he founded between Naples and Rome.

Page of the Rules of Benedict of Nursia. 1495 Biblioteca Europea di Informazione e Cultura

Benedict did not demand from his monks radical asceticism and constant battle with their own flesh, as in many Egyptian or Irish monasteries. Its charter was kept in the spirit of moderation and was intended rather for “beginners.” The brothers had to unquestioningly obey the abbot and not leave the walls of the monastery (unlike the Irish monks, who actively wandered).

Its charter formulated the ideal of monastic life and described how to organize it. In Benedictine monasteries, time was distributed between divine services, solitary prayer, soul-saving reading and physical labor. However, in different abbeys this was done in completely different ways, and the principles formulated in the charter always needed to be clarified and adapted to local realities - the lifestyle of monks in the south of Italy and in the north of England could not but differ.

Benedict of Nursia transfers his rule to St. Maurus and other monks of his order. Miniature from a French manuscript. 1129 Wikimedia Commons

Gradually, from a radical choice for a few ascetics ready for abstinence, poverty and obedience, monasticism turned into a mass institution closely connected with the world. Even the moderate ideal began to be forgotten more and more often, and morals became loose. Therefore, the history of monasticism is full of calls for reform, which was supposed to return the monks to their original severity. As a result of such reforms, “subfamilies” arose in the Benedictine “family” - congregations of monasteries, reformed from one center and often subordinate to the “mother” abbey.

Clunians

The most influential of these “subfamilies” was the Cluny Order. The Abbey of Cluny was founded in 910 in Burgundy: monks from there were invited to reform other monasteries, they founded new monasteries, and as a result, by the 11th-12th centuries, a huge network arose that covered not only France, but also England, Spain, Germany and other lands. The Clunians achieved immunity from interference in their affairs by secular authorities and local bishops: the order was accountable only to Rome. Although the Rule of Saint Benedict ordered the brothers to work and cultivate their own lands, this principle was forgotten in Cluny. Thanks to the flow of donations (including the fact that the Clunians tirelessly celebrated funeral masses for their benefactors), the order became the largest landowner. The monasteries received taxes and food from the peasants who cultivated the land. Now for monks of noble blood, physical labor was considered shameful and a distraction from main task- divine services (on ordinary days it took seven hours, and on holidays even more).

Cistercians

The secularization that triumphed among the Clunians and in other congenial monasteries once again awakened dreams of a return to original severity. In 1098, the abbot of the Burgundian monastery of Molem, named Robert, despairing of leading his brothers to severity, left there with 20 monks and founded the Abbey of Citeaux. It became the core of the new, Cistercian (from Cistercium- the Latin name for Sieve) of the order, and soon hundreds of “daughter” abbeys appeared in Europe. The Cistercians (unlike the Benedictines) wore not black, but white (from undyed wool) robes - so they began to be called “white monks.” They also followed the Rule of Saint Benedict, but they sought to carry it out literally in order to return to their original severity. This required retiring to distant “deserts”, shortening the duration of services and devoting more time to work.

Hermits and knights-monks

In addition to the “classical” Benedictines, in the West there were monastic communities that lived according to other rules or retained the rule of St. Benedict, but applied it in a fundamentally different way - for example, hermits who practiced extreme asceticism in small communities, such as the Camaldoules (their order was founded by Saint Romuald), the Carthusians (followers of Saint Bruno) or the Granmontenses (disciples of Saint Stephen of Muret).

Further, at the intersection of the nave with the transept, there were choirs (E). There the monks gathered for hours and masses. In the choirs, opposite each other, there were two rows of benches or chairs in parallel English stalls, fr. stalls.. In the later Middle Ages, they most often had reclining seats, so that during tedious services the monks could either sit or stand, leaning on small consoles - misericords Let's remember the French word misericorde(“compassion”, “mercy”) - such shelves were indeed a mercy for tired or weak brothers..

Benches were installed behind the choir (F), where during the service the sick brothers, temporarily separated from the healthy ones, were located, as well as novices. Next came the partition English rod screen, fr. jube., on which a large crucifix was installed (G). In parish churches, cathedrals and monastery churches, where pilgrims were admitted, it separated the choir and presbytery, where services were held and the clergy were located, from the nave, where the laity had access. The laity could not go beyond this border and in fact did not see the priest, who, in addition, stood with his back to them. In modern times, most of these partitions were demolished, so when we enter some medieval temple, we need to imagine that before its space was not at all united and accessible to everyone.

In Cistercian churches there may have been a choir for converse in the nave (H)- worldly brothers. From their cloister they entered the temple through a special entrance (I). It was located near the western portal (J), through which the laity could enter the church.

2. Cloister

A quadrangular (less often polygonal or even round) gallery, which adjoined the church from the south and connected the main monastic buildings together. A garden was often laid out in the center. In the monastic tradition, the cloister was likened to a walled Eden, Noah's Ark, where the family of the righteous were saved from the waters sent to sinners as punishment, Solomon's Temple or Heavenly Jerusalem. The name of the galleries comes from the Latin claustrum- “closed, fenced space.” Therefore, in the Middle Ages, both the central courtyard and the entire monastery could be called this.

The cloister served as the center of monastic life: through its galleries the monks moved from the bedroom to the church, from the church to the refectory, and from the refectory, for example, to the scriptorium. There was a well and a place for washing - lavatorium .

Solemn processions were also held in the cloister: for example, in Cluny, every Sunday between the third hour and the main mass, the brothers, led by one of the priests, walked through the monastery, sprinkling all the rooms with holy water.

In many Benedictine monasteries, such as the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos (Spain) or Saint-Pierre de Moissac (France), on the capitals of the columns on which the galleries rested, many scenes from the Bible and the lives of saints were carved , allegorical images (as a confrontation between vices and virtues), as well as frightening figures of demons and various monsters, animals intertwined with each other, etc. The Cistercians, who sought to get away from excessive luxury and any images that could distract the monks from prayer and contemplation, banished such decor from their monasteries.

3. Washbasin

IN Maundy Thursday during Holy Week - in memory of how Christ washed the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper In. 13:5-11.— the monks, led by the abbot, humbly washed and kissed the feet of the poor people who were brought to the monastery.

In the gallery adjacent to the church, every day before Compline the brethren gathered to listen to the reading of some pious text - collatio This name arose because Saint Benedict recommended for this “Conversation” (“Collationes”) John Cassian (about 360 - about 435), an ascetic who was one of the first to transfer the principles of monastic life from Egypt to the West. Then in a word collatio they also began to call a snack or a glass of wine, which on fast days was given to monks at this evening hour (hence the French word collation- “snack”, “light dinner”)..

4. Sacristy

A room in which liturgical vessels, liturgical vestments and books were kept under lock and key (if the monastery did not have a special treasury, then relics), as well as the most important documents: historical chronicles and collections of charters, which listed purchases, donations and other acts , on which the material well-being of the monastery depended.

5. Library

Next to the sacristy there was a library. In small communities it looked more like a closet with books; in huge abbeys it looked like a majestic repository in which the characters in “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco are looking for the forbidden volume of Aristotle.

We can imagine what monks read at different times and in different parts of Europe thanks to the inventories of medieval monastic libraries. These are lists of the Bible or individual biblical books, commentaries on them, liturgical manuscripts, writings of the Church Fathers and authoritative theologians Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, Jerome of Stridon, Gregory the Great, Isidore of Seville and others., lives of saints, collections of miracles, historical chronicles, treatises on canon law, geography, astronomy, medicine, botany, Latin grammar, works of ancient Greek and Roman authors... It is well known that many ancient texts have reached our days only because, despite their suspicious attitude towards pagan wisdom, they were preserved by medieval monks In Carolingian times, the richest monasteries - such as St. Gallen and Lorsch in the German states or Bobbio in Italy - possessed 400-600 volumes. The catalog of the library of the monastery of Saint-Riquier in the north of France, compiled in 831, consisted of 243 volumes. The chronicle, written in the 12th century in the monastery of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif in Sens, provides a list of manuscripts that Abbot Arnauld ordered to be copied or restored. In addition to biblical and liturgical books, it included commentaries and theological works of Origen, Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great, the passion of the martyr Tiburtius, a description of the transfer of the relics of St. Benedict to the Fleury monastery, “History of the Lombards” by Paul the Deacon, etc..

In many monasteries, scriptoria functioned at the library, where the brothers copied and decorated new books. Until the 13th century, when workshops where lay scribes worked began to multiply in cities, monasteries remained the main producers of books, and monks remained their main readers.

6. Chapter Hall

The administrative and disciplinary center of the monastery. It was there that every morning (after the first hour service in the summer; after the third hour and morning mass in the winter) the monks gathered to read one of the chapters ( capitulum) Benedictine Rite. Hence the name of the hall. In addition to the charter, a fragment from the martyrology (a list of saints whose memory was celebrated on each day) and an obituary (a list of deceased brothers, patrons of the monastery and members of its “family” for whom the monks should offer prayers on this day) were read out there.

In the same hall, the abbot instructed the brethren and sometimes conferred with selected monks. There, the novices who had completed the probationary period again asked to be tonsured as monks. There the abbot received the powers that be and resolved conflicts between the monastery and church authorities or secular lords. The “accusatory chapter” was also held there - after reading the charter, the abbot said: “If someone has something to say, let him speak.” And then those monks who knew of some kind of violation by someone or themselves (for example, they were late for service or left a found thing with them for at least one day), had to admit it in front of the rest of the brethren and suffer the punishment that will be appointed by the rector.

The frescoes that decorated the capitular halls of many Benedictine abbeys reflected their disciplinary vocation. For example, in the St. Emmeram Monastery in Regensburg, murals were made on the theme of the “angelic life” of monks struggling with temptation, modeled on St. Benedict, their father and legislator. In the monastery of Saint-Georges de Bocherville in Normandy, on the arches of the capitular hall, images of corporal punishment to which offending monks were sentenced were carved.

7. Conversation room

The Rule of Saint Benedict ordered the brothers to remain silent most of the time. Silence was considered the mother of virtues, and closed lips were considered “a condition for the peace of the heart.” Collections of customs of different monasteries sharply limited those places and moments of the day when the brothers could communicate with each other, and the lives described the grave punishments that fell on the heads of the talkers. In some abbeys, a distinction was made between the “great silence” (when it was forbidden to speak at all) and the “little silence” (when it was possible to speak in a low voice). In certain rooms - the church, dormitory, refectory, etc. - idle conversations were completely prohibited. After Compline there was to be absolute silence throughout the entire monastery.

In case of emergency, it was possible to talk in special rooms ( auditorium). In Cistercian monasteries there could be two of them: one for the prior and monks (next to the chapter hall), the second primarily for the cellarer and converse (between their refectory and kitchen).

To facilitate communication, some abbeys developed special sign languages ​​that made it possible to transmit the simplest messages without formally violating the charter. Such gestures did not mean sounds or syllables, but entire words: the names of various rooms, everyday objects, elements of worship, liturgical books, etc. Lists of such signs were preserved in many monasteries. For example, in Cluny there were 35 gestures for describing food, 22 for items of clothing, 20 for worship, etc. To “say” the word “bread”, you had to make a circle with two little fingers and two index fingers, like this as bread was usually baked round. In different abbeys the gestures were completely different, and the gesticulating monks of Cluny and Hirsau would not understand each other.

8. Bedroom, or dormitorium

Most often, this room was located on the second floor, above the chapter hall or next to it, and it could be accessed not only from the cloister, but also through a passage from the church. Chapter 22 of the Benedictine Rule prescribed that each monk should sleep on a separate bed, preferably in the same room:

«<…>...if their large number does not allow this to be arranged, let them sleep ten or twenty at a time with the elders, who are in charge of taking care of them. Let the lamp in the bedroom burn until the morning.
They must sleep in their clothes, girdled with belts or ropes. When they sleep, they should not have their knives with which they work, cut branches, etc., at their sides, so as not to injure themselves while sleeping. Monks must always be ready and, as soon as a sign is given, immediately get up and rush, one ahead of the other, to the work of God, decorously, but also modestly. The youngest brothers should not have beds next to each other, but let them be mixed with the elders. As we take up the work of God, let us encourage each other brotherly, dispelling the excuses invented by the drowsy.”

Benedict of Nursia instructed that a monk should sleep on a simple mat, covered with a blanket. However, his charter was intended for a monastery located in southern Italy. IN northern lands- say, in Germany or Scandinavia - compliance with this instruction required much greater (often almost impossible) dedication and contempt for the flesh. In different monasteries and orders, depending on their severity, different measures of comfort were allowed. For example, Franciscans were required to sleep on bare ground or on planks, and mats were only allowed for those who were physically weak.

9. Warm room, or calefactorium

Since almost all the rooms of the monastery were not heated, a special warm room where the fire was maintained. There the monks could warm up a little, melt frozen ink or wax their shoes.

10. Refectory, or refectorium

In large monasteries, the refectory, which was supposed to accommodate the entire brethren, was very impressive. For example, in the Parisian Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés the refectory was 40 meters long and 20 meters wide. Long tables with benches were placed in the shape of the letter “U”, and all the brethren were seated behind them in order of seniority - just like in the choir of a church.

In Benedictine monasteries, where, unlike the Cistercian ones, there were many cultic and didactic images, frescoes depicting the Last Supper were often painted in the refectory. The monks were to identify themselves with the apostles gathered around Christ.

11. Kitchen

The Cistercian diet was primarily vegetarian, with some fish included. Special chefs there was none - the brothers worked in the kitchen for a week, and on Saturday evening the team on duty gave way to the next one.

For most of the year, the monks received only one meal a day, in the late afternoon. From mid-September to Lent (beginning around mid-February) they could eat for the first time after the ninth hour, and during Lent - after supper. Only after Easter did the monks receive the right to another meal around noon.

Most often, the monastic lunch consisted of beans (beans, lentils, etc.), designed to satisfy hunger, after which the main course was served, including fish or eggs and cheese. On Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, each person usually received a whole portion, and on fasting days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one portion for two.

In addition, to maintain the strength of the monks, every day they were given a portion of bread and a glass of wine or beer.

12. Refectory for Converse

In Cistercian monasteries, lay brothers were separated from full-fledged monks: they had their own dormitory, their own refectory, their own entrance to the church, etc.

13. Entrance to the monastery

The Cistercians sought to build their abbeys as far as possible from towns and villages in order to overcome the secularization in which, over the centuries since the time of St. Benedict, the “black monks,” especially the Clunians, had become mired. Nevertheless, the “white monks” also could not completely isolate themselves from the world. They were visited by laymen, members of the monastery “family”, related to brothers by ties of kinship or who decided to serve the monastery. The gatekeeper, who watched the entrance to the monastery, periodically welcomed the poor, who were given bread and leftover food that the brothers had not eaten.

14. Hospital

Large monasteries always had a hospital - with a chapel, a refectory, and sometimes with its own kitchen. Unlike their healthy counterparts, patients could count on enhanced nutrition and other benefits: for example, they were allowed to exchange a few words during meals and not attend all the long divine services.

All the brothers were periodically sent to the hospital, where they underwent bloodletting ( minutio) - a procedure that is even necessary to maintain the right balance humors (blood, mucus, black bile and yellow bile) in the body. After this procedure, the weakened monks received temporary indulgences for several days in order to restore their strength: exemption from all-night vigils, an evening ration and a glass of wine, and sometimes delicacies like roast chicken or goose.

15. Other buildings

In addition to the church, the cloister and the main buildings where the lives of monks, novices and converses took place, the monasteries had many other buildings: the abbot’s personal apartments; a hospice for poor travelers and a hotel for important guests; various outbuildings: barns, cellars, mills and bakeries; stables, dovecotes, etc. Medieval monks were engaged in many crafts (they made wine, brewed beer, tanned leather, processed metals, worked on glass, produced tiles and bricks) and actively mastered natural resources: they uprooted and felled forests, mined stone, coal, iron and peat, developed salt mines, built water mills on rivers, etc. As they would say today, monasteries were one of the main centers of technical innovation.

Sources

• Duby J. The time of the cathedrals. Art and Society, 980–1420.

  M., 2002. Prou ​​M. (ed.). Paris, 1886.