Lavra
Encyclopedia
In Orthodox Christianity
and certain other Eastern Christian communities Lavra or Laura originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory
at the center. The term originates from the Greek for "a passage" or "an alley".
desert. A community of 600 hermits lived scattered over the area, reliant on Nitria for bread, but with their own priest and church. Saint Euthymius the Great
(377 - 473) founded one of the early Lavras in fifth-century Palestine. The Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified
(†532), known as Mar Saba
, is one of the most ancient continuously functioning monasteries in the Christian world.
A similar system was established by Saint Gerasimus, with 70 cells surrounding a coenobium
, again with monks progressing into the cells after time spent in the coenobium. Weekdays were spent in the cells, accompanied only by a rush mat, a small amount of food and palm blades with which to make ropes and baskets. On Saturdays they would bring their handiwork to the coenobium and receive communion together, returning to their cells on Sunday evening. Cells were left open, and those in need could take whatever they wished from the cell if it were found empty. The lavra had a priest; the lavra’s contact with the outside world, and at least two ordained deacons.
The largest and the most important Russian Orthodox monasteries have been called lavras and have been subordinated directly to
the Patriarch of Moscow. In 1721, they became subordinated to the Holy Synod
. The Great Lavra
founded by Athanasius the Athonite
in 963 is the oldest monastery on Mount Athos
.
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and certain other Eastern Christian communities Lavra or Laura originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
at the center. The term originates from the Greek for "a passage" or "an alley".
History
The Lavrite style of living has its origins in the early fourth century with the founding of a settlement of cells in the NitreanWadi El Natrun
Wadi El Natrun is a valley located in Beheira Governorate, Egypt, including a town with the same name. The name refers to the presence of eight different lakes in the region that produce natron salt. In Christian literature, the region is also referred to as the Nitrian Desert...
desert. A community of 600 hermits lived scattered over the area, reliant on Nitria for bread, but with their own priest and church. Saint Euthymius the Great
Euthymius the Great
Saint Euthymius , often styled the Great, was an Abbot in Palestine.Venerated in both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.-Biography:He was born in Melitene in Lesser Armenia...
(377 - 473) founded one of the early Lavras in fifth-century Palestine. The Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified
Sabbas the Sanctified
Saint Sabbas the Sanctified , a Cappadocian-Greek monk, priest and saint, lived mainly in Palaestina Prima. He was the founder of several monasteries, most notably the one known as Mar Saba...
(†532), known as Mar Saba
Mar Saba
The Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, known in Arabic as Mar Saba , is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the West Bank east of Bethlehem. The traditional date for the founding of the monastery by Saint Sabas of Cappadocia is the year 483 and today houses around 20...
, is one of the most ancient continuously functioning monasteries in the Christian world.
A similar system was established by Saint Gerasimus, with 70 cells surrounding a coenobium
Coenobium
A coenobium is a colony containing a fixed number of cells, with little or no specialization. They occur in several groups of algae. The cells are often embedded in a mucilaginous matrix and may be motile or non-motile....
, again with monks progressing into the cells after time spent in the coenobium. Weekdays were spent in the cells, accompanied only by a rush mat, a small amount of food and palm blades with which to make ropes and baskets. On Saturdays they would bring their handiwork to the coenobium and receive communion together, returning to their cells on Sunday evening. Cells were left open, and those in need could take whatever they wished from the cell if it were found empty. The lavra had a priest; the lavra’s contact with the outside world, and at least two ordained deacons.
The largest and the most important Russian Orthodox monasteries have been called lavras and have been subordinated directly to
Stauropegic
Stauropegic, also rendered stavropegic, stauropegial, or stavropegial is a title or description applied to Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christian monasteries subordinated directly to a Patriarch or Synod, rather than to their local Bishop...
the Patriarch of Moscow. In 1721, they became subordinated to the Holy Synod
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
. The Great Lavra
Great Lavra
This is the monastery on Mount Athos. For the monastery associated with Saint Sabbas, see Mar Saba.The Monastery of Great Lavra is the first monastery built on Mount Athos. It is located on the southeastern foot of the Mount at an elevation of 160 metres...
founded by Athanasius the Athonite
Athanasius the Athonite
Athanasius the Athonite , also called Athanasios of Trebizond , was a Byzantine monk who founded the monastic community on Mount Athos, which has since evolved into the greatest centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism....
in 963 is the oldest monastery on Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
.
List of lavras
- Georgian Orthodox Church:
- David Gareja Lavra (since 1505)
- Greek Orthodox ChurchGreek Orthodox ChurchThe Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
:- Lavra of St. Sabbas (Mar Saba)Mar SabaThe Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, known in Arabic as Mar Saba , is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the West Bank east of Bethlehem. The traditional date for the founding of the monastery by Saint Sabas of Cappadocia is the year 483 and today houses around 20...
(532) - Megisti LavraGreat LavraThis is the monastery on Mount Athos. For the monastery associated with Saint Sabbas, see Mar Saba.The Monastery of Great Lavra is the first monastery built on Mount Athos. It is located on the southeastern foot of the Mount at an elevation of 160 metres...
, Mount AthosMount AthosMount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
(10th century): the Great Lavra - Agia LavraAgia LavraAgia Lavra is a monastery near Kalavryta, Achaea, Greece. It was built in 961 AD, on Helmos Mountain, at an altitude of 961 meters, and can be described as the symbolic birth-place of modern Greece. It stands as one of the oldest monasteries in the Peloponnese.It was built in 10th century but was...
- Lavra of St. Sabbas (Mar Saba)
- Polish Orthodox ChurchPolish Orthodox ChurchThe Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, commonly known as the Polish Orthodox Church, , is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches in full communion...
:- Supraśl Lavra (since 1505)
- Russian Orthodox ChurchRussian Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
:- Troitse-Sergiyeva LavraTroitse-Sergiyeva LavraThe Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road leading to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to...
(since 1744) Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra - Alexander Nevsky LavraAlexander Nevsky LavraSaint Alexander Nevsky Lavra or Saint Alexander Nevsky Monastery was founded by Peter I of Russia in 1710 at the eastern end of the Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg supposing that that was the site of the Neva Battle in 1240 when Alexander Nevsky, a prince, defeated the Swedes; however, the battle...
(since 1797) St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra
- Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
- Ukrainian Greek Catholic ChurchUkrainian Greek Catholic ChurchThe Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
:- Univ LavraUniv LavraUniv Holy Dormition Lavra of the Studite Rite is the only lavra of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. It is situated in Peremyshliany Raion, Lviv Oblast. The monastery houses about 100 Studite Brethren....
(since 1898) Univ Holy Dormition Lavra of the Studite Rite
- Univ Lavra
- Ukrainian Orthodox ChurchUkrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an autonomous Church of Eastern Orthodoxy in Ukraine, under the ecclesiastic jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate...
:- Kiev Pechersk LavraKiev Pechersk LavraKiev Pechersk Lavra or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra , also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery which gave its name to one of the city districts where it is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine....
(since 1598) Kiev Caves Lavra - Pochayiv LavraPochayiv LavraHoly Dormition Pochayiv Lavra has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. The monastery tops a 60-metre hill in the town of Pochayiv, Ternopil Oblast, 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil...
(since 1833) Pochayiv-Dormition Lavra - Sviatohirsk LavraSviatohirsk LavraThe Sviatohirsk Lavra or the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery near the city of Sviatohirsk in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine. The lavra is located on the right bank of the Seversky Donets River...
(since 2004) Holy Mountains Lavra
- Kiev Pechersk Lavra
See also
- Coenobium (Monastery)
- HermitageHermitage (religious retreat)Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
- SketeSketeA Skete is a monastic style community that allows relative isolation for monks, but alsoallows for communal services and the safety of shared resources and protection...