On Monasticism
The spiritual experience of every Orthodox Christian is unique, subjective, and unrepeatable. Despite the universal laws of salvation, the Lord prepares for each person a distinct and unrepeatable spiritual path.
Christianity blesses marriage and the continuation of the human race. This is embedded by the Lord Himself in the laws of nature, which were established by His boundless wisdom. As recounted in the Gospel, Jesus Christ was present at a wedding feast, thereby affirming marriage as a righteous institution—and it was at this event that He performed His first miracle, turning water into wine.
In addition to the laws of nature, there are spiritual laws by which one must strive to live. Some zealous Christians, even in this present life, enter into a particular form of spiritual living known as inochestvo—that is, monasticism. The word monk comes from mono, meaning “alone.” The primary goal of monasticism is to draw near to the spiritual through unceasing spiritual labor: prayer, asceticism, and withdrawal from the fallen world and all that is material.
The Gospel and the entire subsequent history of Christianity present to us a great host of saints—hierarchs, venerable monastics—who attained salvation under the protection of the monastic life. We are given examples of monastic living in the prophets of the Old Testament, in Saint John the Baptist, and above all, in our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who both fulfilled and laid down the foundational principles of monasticism.
Examples of female monasticism include the Most Holy God-bearer, Saint Mary of Egypt, and other venerable women.
The significance of monasticism in the history of Christianity is difficult to overstate. The very formation of the Church during the era of the Ecumenical Councils is primarily the work of monks, as is that true spiritual treasure, the Eastern patristic tradition.
Monasticism has held a place of special honor in Rus’ as well. After the Baptism of Rus’, Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves began to develop monastic life. The ustav (rule) of monastic life in Rus’ was not uniform. For instance, Saint Joseph of Volokolamsk envisioned the monastery as a center of spiritual enlightenment, culture, and even economic activity—this reflects the social side of monastic service. In contrast, Saint Nilus of Sora put forward a model of monastic life focused entirely on spiritual and prayerful activity, with only enough material sustenance to avoid starvation. A great example of Russian monasticism is Saint Sergius, abbot of Radonezh, the most revered Russian saint, who was glorified almost immediately after his repose and demonstrated through his life a balanced monastic path of moderate strictness.
There are different degrees of monastic life: communal monasticism in larger or smaller monasteries, secluded groups of monks living in sketes, and more intense forms of withdrawal from the world such as pillar-dwelling, reclusion, and desert-dwelling.
All forms of monasticism are united by several essential conditions known as vows. The chief among them are: celibacy, non-possession of property, renunciation of worldly entertainments, a stricter fasting discipline than that of laypeople, prayer, and labor. A monk no longer belongs to himself; he submits his will entirely to the will of the Lord and the abbot of the monastery. The temptations faced by monks are of a special kind. The monk is a warrior of Christ, and his weapons are humility and prayer.