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Envision this setting. The year is 1348. You are a countryside peasant, thrust into a life filled with relentless struggle. Around you, serfs toil endlessly from sunrise to sunset, laboring on their feudal lord’s estate to fulfill his demanding obligations.
Your greatest aspiration might be to see your modest basket-weaving business flourish enough to grant you a tiny plot of land, offering some security in your later years. Conversely, the bleakest outcome could be a lifetime of exhausting physical work, a diet scarce in meat, and the looming threat of an untimely demise due to childbirth complications or the plague.
Given these harsh realities, would you consider embracing a religious life and joining a monastery? If the thought crosses your mind, continue reading—because monastic life involved far more than just the infamous haircut!
10. The Notorious Haircut
Yes, you’re familiar with it. The iconic bowl cut featuring a circular bald spot on top? This distinctive look was crafted by shaving the center of the scalp and trimming the surrounding hair. For the monks who sported it, this style carried profound spiritual meaning.
Known as the “tonsure,” this haircut symbolized a monk’s dedication to Christ. There are several theories about why only part of the head was shaved. Some suggest the remaining ring of hair represented the crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his crucifixion. Others argue it originated during the Crusades as a way for Christians to distinguish themselves from Muslims, who shaved their heads entirely after pilgrimages to Mecca.
Regardless of its origins, the tonsure remained a staple for countless monks over the centuries. However, its popularity waned after 1973, when Pope Paul VI discontinued the tonsuring ceremony.
9. A Humble Abode
Monks enjoyed a significantly better living situation compared to peasants and serfs. While their sleeping quarters were essentially small cells with straw bedding, and they owned little to nothing, they at least had shelter and regular meals—luxuries that were rare for the average person of the time.
Numerous monasteries were vast, elaborate structures constructed in the Gothic architectural style, intended to display the church’s affluence and convey the magnificence of God to the common people. It would have been a rather pleasant place to spend time.
In England, monastic communities have been discovered dating as far back as AD 406. These monasteries met a sudden end in the 1530s during King Henry VIII’s reign. Frustrated by needing papal approval for his divorce, Henry eradicated Catholicism from the land, declaring England a Protestant nation. Monasteries were looted, and their riches distributed among the wealthy.
The end of a significant chapter!
8. Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience
Hmm. It’s not exactly the most appealing way of life, is it? Medieval monasteries were communities of men who renounced worldly goods and chose to live in seclusion with others who shared their beliefs. They dedicated themselves to spiritual pursuits over material pleasures, taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. These men were expected to live without possessions or emotional ties to the outside world, following the principles set by St. Benedict in the 6th century, which outlined the ideal monastic existence.
Naturally, chastity could be bypassed if a) you were inclined toward men and b) you found a willing (and discreet) partner within the monastery walls. For those fortunate individuals, life likely felt quite agreeable.
7. The Sacred Symbol
A crucial element of monastic life was the ownership of an icon or sacred relic. This could be any object that inspired reverence and drew crowds—such as a fragment of the cross where Christ was crucified, the remains of a saint, or, as in the case of Turin, Italy, the burial shroud believed to have been worn by Jesus.
If fortune favored your monastery, its relic could gain widespread fame, attracting Christians from distant lands to embark on pilgrimages. This influx of visitors would boost local commerce and significantly increase donations to your church.
6. Silence, Please!
If a monk experienced a sense of boredom after joining a monastic order, he couldn’t simply pass the time by engaging in casual gossip with his peers. Monasteries were sanctuaries of tranquility, and most tasks were performed in absolute silence. Even dinner conversations were strictly forbidden!
Some monks found clever ways to bypass the silence rule. During meals, they used sign language to request food or drink. Others secretly communicated through whistling. These techniques were often taught to young novices (teenage recruits learning monastic life) and oblates (children placed in the monks’ care), ensuring these silent languages were preserved across generations.
5. Stand, Sit, Kneel… and Repeat
Starting to think monastic life might have been a bit dull? You’re likely correct! Fortunately, the monotony of charitable work and endless silence was regularly interrupted by lengthy and intricate church services.
Monks participated in an astonishing eight services daily. Rising with the sun (making summers far more grueling than winters!), they engaged in choral rituals like Matins, Lauds, and Mass. They also held a daily Chapter, a formal gathering to discuss monastery affairs. In total, a monk could spend up to 10 hours each day in church services. That’s an awful lot of chanting!
4. Beyond Meat-Free Fridays
Life in medieval times was heavily regulated. England’s “sumptuary laws” governed various aspects of daily life, extending beyond monks. These laws dictated what clothing and colors individuals could wear based on their social standing, as well as how much establishments could charge for meals.
Monasteries were typically wealthy institutions, and despite the challenges of monastic life, monks often enjoyed regular access to high-quality food. However, medieval people were legally required to observe three “fasting” days each week: Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Additional fasting days were observed during religious periods like Lent.
The term “fast” here doesn’t align with its modern meaning. On these days, people were only required to avoid meat and dairy, while fish and vegetables were permitted. Interestingly, some monks missed meat so much during fasting periods that they found loopholes—they reclassified certain meats as fish! Historical records suggest that beaver tails and rabbit fetuses were consumed during fasts. One French group of monks even began eating local puffins!
3. Fashionable Robes
When envisioning a monk, you likely picture a man clad in brown robes, wearing sandals, and holding rosary beads. However, robes varied in color depending on the monastic order to which a monk belonged.
The Benedictine Order donned black robes, earning them the nickname “the black monks.” The Carthusian Order preferred white, while the Capuchin friars of Italy wore brown robes with long, pointed hoods—this is where the term cappuccino originates!
2. Roles and Responsibilities
In addition to daily church services, studies, and charitable work, monks were often assigned specific duties within the monastery. The highest position, the abbot, was reserved for the exceptionally fortunate.
The abbot primarily interacted with the outside world, serving as the monastery’s public representative. Below the abbot was the prior, who managed the monks. The prior appointed a steward to handle finances and a cellarer to oversee food and drink supplies. The almoner cared for the poor in the community, while the cantor directed the choir. The sacrist ensured the church remained orderly and services operated seamlessly.
Sounds utterly draining!
1. Contributions to the Arts
We owe a great deal to our robed brethren. Monasteries served as remarkable centers of knowledge, where monks (and their counterparts in nunneries) dedicated significant time and effort to preserving, transcribing, and composing books and manuscripts. Their work ensured the survival of numerous classics by Cicero, Aristotle, and Virgil. Freed from the daily struggle for sustenance and blessed with literacy, these individuals had the resources and skills to produce extraordinary art. Their creativity shines through in the illuminated manuscripts and choral music that have endured from the Middle Ages.
In fact, monasteries were often the sole repositories of books, which were rare and costly treasures. This made them prime targets during Viking raids in Europe until the 11th century. While monks lived in poverty, the institutions they served were incredibly wealthy—a fact that many were well aware of.
