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Monasticsm...

joekelinyjoekeliny
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Hello everyone.

I have a few questions.

1) What is the purpose of the belt the monk wears when he is ordained??

2) What are the two levels of brotherhood?

thanks.

Comments

  • RonyRony
    [quote author=Monasticsx link=topic=13017.msg152973#msg152973 date=1331610153]
    Hello everyone.

    I have a few questions.

    1) What is the purpose of the belt the monk wears when he is ordained??

    2) What are the two levels of brotherhood?

    thanks.


    1.) The belt that is worn by monks is leather, with three crosses, to "gird yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ." The cross protects the purity of the monks and lessen any sexual desires. The belt also makes it easier for monks to do their metanoias because if you have tried doing a metanoia with a garment on, it is rather difficult and when you get up you can rip the garment by stepping on it as you're getting up. The belt also is worn kind of near the stomach, so it helps in keeping one fasting so as not to desire to eat non-fasting food or during a period of non-fasting.

    2.) The two ranks for monks are novice and monk.  Novice in training usually wear a white galabaya. Monks are those whom you see wearing the black garments. Yet not all monks are priests. The monks you see wearing the white monastic hood or bonnet are priests. These also hold the spoon when drinking the blood of Christ from the chalice.
  • Unknown
    The belt also is used as a preventative measure.

    If a monk were to act sexually, he would have to undo the belt before engaging in this act. In so doing, while undoing the belt, it would be an extra step to slow down the monk and get him to understand that what he was doing was breaking his vow. This was more applicable in the older days when a monk was more-so alone, and would have more possibility of falling into sin. This answer was given to me by a beloved monk.

    ReturnOrthodoxy
  • joegjoeg
    Thanks Rony and RO, I learned a lot from your posts.

    I also believe the fact that the belt is made of "leather" is significant. Leather is made from the hides of (dead) cows - just as the monk is dead to this world and it's carnal lusts.
  • RonyRony
    [quote author=ReturnOrthodoxy link=topic=13017.msg153009#msg153009 date=1331676882]
    The belt also is used as a preventative measure.

    If a monk were to act sexually, he would have to undo the belt before engaging in this act. In so doing, while undoing the belt, it would be an extra step to slow down the monk and get him to understand that what he was doing was breaking his vow. This was more applicable in the older days when a monk was more-so alone, and would have more possibility of falling into sin. This answer was given to me by a beloved monk.

    ReturnOrthodoxy


    Hmm...That is interesting! Thank you Return; I did not know this!
  • mabsootamabsoota
    interesting, so how can us non-monks stop stepping on out long skirts when doing metanoia? has anyone invented some way of hitching it up at the back? i don't wear a long skirt at work but i often do when chilling out or in church and i tend to stand on it with my heel at the back.

    i suppose i could just save the metanoias for work!
  • mark.naguib7
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=13017.msg153080#msg153080 date=1331764427]
    interesting, so how can us non-monks stop stepping on out long skirts when doing metanoia? has anyone invented some way of hitching it up at the back? i don't wear a long skirt at work but i often do when chilling out or in church and i tend to stand on it with my heel at the back.

    i suppose i could just save the metanoias for work!


    THANK YOU! It is even harder when you are wearing a long tonic and crammed in the altar with 5 billion other deacons trying to do 400 metanoia.
  • joekelinyjoekeliny
    Lool.... thanks a lot for the posts!! But the second point im still unclear on.

    Recently, a friend told me that there are 2 levels of brotherhood. In which, thruohgout the process of monasticsm the brother first wears blue, then wears white. However, I have never seen this in a monastery. Therefore, I am still rather quite confused...
  • Unknown
    There is no such rank as brother. Every monastery has their own rules for who wears what. I will list some ones that I realized.

    The most common: Blue for a few months, then white untill ordination.

    St. Shenouda's Monastery in Rochester: One year in laymen clothes and then white until ordination.

    St. Macarious Monastery: Blue with a white cap for a year, and then brown with a brown cap, and beard.

    In the end, it is not about what you wear. Monasticism was never about the clothes, or the robes or even the building. Monasticism is an ascetic way of life used to come closer to God. The monastic's job is to ponder on God for the rest of hi life. He realizes that he knows nothing, and as such, wants to spend his entire life seeking God. It is unhelpful to focus on clothing. 

    ReturnOrthodoxy
  • Theophilus 1Theophilus 1
    [quote author=Monasticsx link=topic=13017.msg153088#msg153088 date=1331778753]
    Lool.... thanks a lot for the posts!! But the second point im still unclear on.

    Recently, a friend told me that there are 2 levels of brotherhood. In which, thruohgout the process of monasticsm the brother first wears blue, then wears white. However, I have never seen this in a monastery. Therefore, I am still rather quite confused...


    The Eastern Orthodox Church has different levels of monasticisms: Novice, Rassophore, Stavrophore and Great Schema. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_Eastern_Orthodox_monasticism
    If you can call it levels of monasticism the closest thing in our Oriental Church is going from being a communal monk to being a hermit.

    In Christ
    Theophilus
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