Monastery
Overview
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer
(e.g. an oratory
) as well as the domestic quarters and workplace(s) of monastics
, whether monk
s or nun
s, and whether living in community or alone (hermits).
Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only a hermit
, or in the case of communities anything from a single building housing only a one senior and two or three junior monk
s or nun
s, to vast complexes and estates housing tens or hundreds.
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
(e.g. an oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
) as well as the domestic quarters and workplace(s) of monastics
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
, whether monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s or nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s, and whether living in community or alone (hermits).
Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
, or in the case of communities anything from a single building housing only a one senior and two or three junior monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s or nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s, to vast complexes and estates housing tens or hundreds.