What are the MONASTIC orders?

Religious orders have played an important role throughout history, being relevant to transform societies or to instill certain knowledge in nations that did not have access to information. Inside of the Catholicism, the most important religious orders have been monastic, occupying positions of power for centuries. And to get to know these groups in depth, in this lesson from a Teacher we are going to talk about what are monastic orders.

The monastic orders, or monastic orders, are religious congregations made up of religious men who are attached to the rules created by the creator of the order. For this reason, the differences between the different monastic orders are enormous, each of them having a series of norms and rules that are very different from the rest.

The monastic orders had many reasons for their creation, but the most common is that a group of people came together to achieve the same goal, having a unique way of following God and causing people who wanted to follow God in a certain way to join one of these orders.

Monastic orders sought a similar way of life to the one of the apostles, these being the older ones Jesus followers and, therefore, some of the most important figures of Catholicism. The idea is that life in the monasteries was to have a participation in the contemplative and total religion, being therefore very similar to the apostolic.

Monastic orders began to appear in Europe during the Middle Ages, playing a key role for the spread of christianity towards the north, and towards distant regions such as Ireland or the United Kingdom. Its role grew, occupying important roles throughout the world, and influencing all societies, such as in America after the arrival of the Europeans.

To continue with this lesson on what are monastic ordersyes, we must enumerate the main ones, in order to understand the important role they have played throughout history. There are many orders, some of which are not very important, and for this reason we must list the main ones.

Benedictines

The Benedictines or Order of Saint Benedict, are considered the most important monastic order in history. It was founded by Benedict of Nursia during the sixth century in the abbey of Montecassino, based on the idea of ​​contemplation. The enormous expansion of the Benedictines throughout Europe makes it considered the order that spread Christianity throughout much of Europe, being named the patron order of Europe for its influence on its history.

The great importance of the Benedictines has made it even remain in the Protestant religion after the religious division, causing it to be one of the few monastic orders that have a presence in various branches of Christianity.

Cistercians

The Cistercian Order is an important monastic order that follow the rule of Saint Benedict, being an order with strict and very marked rules. It was created by Roberto de Molesmes in the Cistercian Abbey, born as a reaction to the Benedictines, since they considered that over the years they had relaxed.

with great predominance in the French and German zone The Cistercians played an important role in the intellectual evolution of these areas, being considered an order with great thinkers and advisers. After the French revolution, and the beginning of the rejection of religions, they began to have less influence among the intellectual classes, and to lose their important role.

Camaldolese

Camaldolese are a branch of the Benedictines, but following the Order of Benedict in a more individual and solitary way. It was founded in the 11th century by Romualdo, an Italian monk who was looking for a new way of understanding Benedictine life, considering that monks should have a more solitary behavior.

Romualdo's original idea was to train hermit monks, which occupied all of Italy, and were leaving the ideas of the Camaldolese throughout the region, thereby forming a new Benedictine form.

Carthusians

a contemplative order created by Saint Bruno in 1084, which is based on a simple and moderate way of living, being a poor order and trying to get as far away from any wealth as possible, considering that it is not ideal for followers of God.

The Carthusian monasteries are called charterhouses and they are made up of groups of monks who spend the day praying and contemplating, seeking to know God. These monks follow their own Statutes, being based on the Rule of Saint Benedict, but with their own additions.

jeronimos

The Order of Saint Jerome is a monastic order created in the 14th century and who sought to maintain a contemplative lifestyle, based on the beliefs of Saint Jerome. The order is exclusively Iberian, since it only exists in Spain and Portugal, and has always had a great relationship with the Spanish and Portuguese monarchies.

This order considers that monks should wear a solitary life and in complete silence, because it is the only way to have a union with God. Monks must dedicate their lives to work and prayer, thus achieving unity with God, and thereby strengthening religion and the Church.