Life in the Medieval Cloister

Life in the Medieval Cloister

It was a life of hardship and reward, of physical abstinence and spiritual abundance. Those who chose it severed their ties to the outside world and spent the rest of their days in confinement and prayer. Now historian Julie Kerr offers a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of the medieval monk in Life in the Medieval Cloister.

Kerr begins with an overview of monasticism, tracing its origins to the fourth century and St. Anthony and the Desert Fathers, whose austere way of life emulated Christ’s time in the wilderness. But if St. Anthony provided the inspiration, it was the Rule of St Benedict, compiled in the sixth century by St. Benedict of Nursia for his own abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy, that became the cornerstone of Western monasticism.

Intended to provide stability for a small group living under a superior and united in brotherly love, the Rule of St Benedict specified the three monastic vows—obedience, poverty and chastity—provided a daily regime of three elements—liturgical observance (Opus Dei), spiritual reading (Lectio Divina) and manual labor—and included the daily celebration of the seven Canonical Hours (Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, Compline) and the Night Office of Vigils. The Benedictine order dominated religious observance until the late 11th century, when the Cluniacs, Cistercians and Carthusians were added to the mix.

Kerr paints a vivid portrait of a monk’s life, with no detail too small, from the physical layout of the monastic precinct and the makeup of the monastic community to the monks' eating, sleeping and even bathing habits, the strategies employed to help them avoid temptations, and the punishments meted out for transgressions major and minor. We learn that though monastic life was communal, most conversation was prohibited and the monks actually communicated with each other through a variety of signs. As a result, many monks suffered both from lack of privacy and from loneliness. Many also found the dietary restrictions, the cold—few places in a monastery were heated—and the lack of sleep that resulted from the nightly observance of Vigils particularly challenging, and stomach problems, insomnia and depression were common. Yet though the monastic life was not meant to be easy, it was not to be overly severe, as the monks needed to remain strong enough to fulfill their many duties.

Using a wide variety of sources, including letters, chronicles, biographies and customaries, Life in the Medieval Cloister vividly evokes the reality of everyday life in European monasteries—particularly those of the British Isles—from the late 11th to the 16th centuries. The result is a fascinating look into a private world where self-denial was seen as the path to ultimate fulfillment.

Hardcover: 272 pages

Publisher: Continuum International Pub. Group ( July 01, 2009 )

Item #: 73-7899

ISBN: 9781847251619

Product Dimensions: 6.0 x 9.0 x 0.68 inches

Product Weight: 14.0 ounces