A MEDIEVAL MONK
My name is Bernard and I am a Benedictine monk.I live in a monastery and it's not only a place of prayer but also a hospital, poor housE and an inn. Before I became a monk i had to spend a year in the monastery as a novice learning the rules and discipline of the monastic way of life. St Benedict , the founder
of our order wrote a set of rules for monks to follow. We had to spend much of the day praying to God, serving God by ordinary work like working in the fields, caring for the sick and poor,washing and cleaning. We also had to serve God by self discipline ,which meant we had to give up everything we owned, obey the abbot (monk in charge of the monastery) and follow a life of poverty and chastity (not to marry and have children). After a year's training as a novice I took a vow(promise) to obey the rules of my monastery. I had to shave the crown of my head in a tonsure, this looked like a bald patch at the top of my head. I wore a special tunic called a habit and wore sandals on my feet. My day started early at 4 am where I had matins (morning prayers) then I had mass at 6 am. Breakfast was at 7am for an hour and i then went to work from 8 am until 10 am. Prayers then started at 10 am and lasted for an hour.We then went to work again at 11am until dinner time at 2pm. We went to work again at 3pm and had Vespers (evening prayer) at 5pm. These lasted until supper at 6pm and finally I retire to bed at 7pm. Im usually very tired at this stage as it was along day.
The monastery has many buildings including a church, chapter house ( where we held daily meetings) and a refectory(dining room). We are not allowed to talk during meals. During the day I would go to pray and walk in a walled enclosed area called a cloister. This was in the centre of the monastery.
We slept in a dormitory together. Only the abbot has his own quarters. We also had an infirmary which was a hospital for the sick. Herbs were grown in the garden to treat the sick. My friend is the Infirmarian and he treats the sick. He keeps a record of which herbs work and is an expert at making medicine for different illnesses. Another monk called an almoner,looked after visitors to the monastery and also gave out food to the poor. My job in the monastery is a scribe , this mean i write and copy manuscripts. I work in the Scriptorium and spend hours copying the manuscripts by hand and decorating them in artwork. Sometimes the illuminator , a monk specially trained in artwork does this task.
Our monastery was self sufficient. We grew and made everything we needed.We grew cereals and vegetables in the fields and kept bees for honey. Cows,sheep and goats were reared for milk and meat . We made our own benches and chairs , baked bread and brewed beer and made wine.
BY JAMIE McDONALD
Our monastery was self sufficient. We grew and made everything we needed.We grew cereals and vegetables in the fields and kept bees for honey. Cows,sheep and goats were reared for milk and meat . We made our own benches and chairs , baked bread and brewed beer and made wine.
BY JAMIE McDONALD
