Monasticism

The form of life followed by those who withdraw from society in order to devote themselves totally to God through prayer, penance, and solitude. Two types of monasticism have emerged: anchoritic (in which the monks or nuns live as hermits and come together for prayer and some meals) and cenobitic (in which they live in community). St. Anthony (d. 357) is regarded as the Father of Monasticism, but another monk, St. Pachomius, formulated the first monastic rule. In Eastern Christianity, the most influential monastic rule is that of St. Basil, while in the West the Rules of St. Benedict and St. Augustine have prevailed. In both the East and the West, monasticism has proven to be a highly durable form of Christian life and has contributed enormously to the vitality of the Church and the wider culture. Important examples of anchoritic monasticism in the West are Carthusians and Camaldolese, while Benedictines and Cistericians stand out as representatives of the cenobitic type.

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