Christian Monasticism

The idea of monastic life was unknown to Christianity until the end of the third century. Many early Christians continued to own private property after their conversion, and marriage was widespread. Some Christians, including St. Paul, had a preference for celibacy, but they admitted that there was no command from God to be celibate. Widows were treated with a special respect, but were encouraged to remarry if they were under the age of 60. Missionary and social work were emphasized more than individual prayer and meditation.

However, there were sects of early Christians who emphasized celibacy, poverty, and the journey for moral perfection. Fasting was accepted, and widows were encouraged to dedicate themselves to Church work. Also, the custom that clergymen should not marry (or remarry, if widowed) was established.

One of the earliest monks was St. Anthony of Egypt. A resident of Alexandria, he went to live in the desert, where he lived for the next ninety years. Through a biography written by St. Athanasius, Anthony's way of life became widely known, and collection of hermits began to spring up throughout the Eastern Roman Empire.

Monasticism was largely confined to the Eastern Roman Empire until a monk from the East, Honoratus, established a small community on an isle off of the coast of Southern France. Afterwords, one of Honoratus' followers. St. Patrick, brought monasticism to the British Isles. 

However, the spread of monasticism on the continent was not as rapid as it was in the British Isles. This changed when St. Benedict,who founded a monastery at Monte Cassino, and wrote his Holy Rule, which set a rather strict set of guidelines for monks to follow. Benedict's style of monastery began to slowly spread, and eventually became the standard for Western monasteries.

Protestant sects of Christianity have largely gotten rid of monasticism; however, some examples of it remain, such as the Lutheran communities, the Loccum and Amelungsborn Abbeys. There is also an Anglican monastery in Korea, the Jesus Abbey. 

Also, while they both follow the same general outline, there is a difference between Catholic monastics and Eastern Orthodox monastic. Western monasticism has the strict rules and the different religious orders, and the division between active and contemplative lifestyles. These are not found in the Eastern tradition.

Monasticism has contributed greatly to the culture of both Eastern and western Europe. Monasteries often became centers of learning, which led to the establishment of universities centered around the communities. Furthermore, monasticism led to a buildup of the Church, because monastic life became popular with the laity, which led to an increase of both monastic and clerical devoti