How do you become an Orthodox monastic?

It helps to be Orthodox. First study the faith, talk to priests, pray a lot, find a parish to stick with, become a catechumen. Keep reading, studying, attend church regularly, wait several months to a year to be received. If you are still interested in becoming a monk talk to your priest.

How does one become an Orthodox monk?

One becomes a monk or nun by being tonsured, a rite that only a priest can perform. This is typically done by the abbot. The priest tonsuring a monk or nun must be tonsured into the same or greater degree of monasticism that he is tonsuring another into.

Are churches and monasteries the same thing?

A monastery complex typically comprises a number of buildings which include a church, dormitory, cloister, refectory, library, balneary and infirmary, and outlying granges. In English usage, the term monastery is generally used to denote the buildings of a community of monks.

What is the difference between a friar and a monk?

A friar belongs to a religious order, a group within the Catholic church. A friar is similar to a monk. Friars are like monks in that they are devoted to a religious life. The difference is that a friar lives and works among regular people in society, while a monk lives in a secluded, self-sufficient group of monks.

How do you join a monastery?

Every monastery has unique requirements, but generally speaking, you must be a member of a church, male, free of debt, and under a certain age (usually 35 or 45). Applicants younger than 21 are rarely accepted. If you’re under 18 and a monastery will let you join, it requires parental permission.

At what age can you be a monk?

To become a monk at Downside you need to be a confirmed and practising Catholic, a man over the age of 18, in good mental and physical health, if possible involved in the life of your parish or something similar, unmarried, with no dependents.

Why don’t Orthodox monastics pray in monasteries?

Since most Orthodox monasteries are traditionally quite small—and especially in these times—, monastics often find it difficult to balance their life of prayer with the needs and distractions introduced by their guests.

What should I expect when visiting a monastery or convent?

When visiting a monastery or convent, do not be surprised or dismayed if you feel some initial trepidation or uneasiness. Often people come under some spiritual oppression when they first arrive at a monastery, particularly if it is the first such visit.

How do I greet the monks of a monastery?

When arriving at the monastery, the Abbot (or Abbess) is always greeted in the same way that a Priest would be greeted. The Abbot is not always necessarily a Hieromonk, but he is always accorded the same respect. 2. You may greet the Brothers (or Sisters) of the monastery when you see them, but you should not press them for conversation.

Why do people now go to monasteries?

Why do people now go to monasteries not from an impoverished life but from a life of comfort, how to find the right monastery, which of the holy fathers should be read, what is the proper relationship of a monastic to parents, should the internet be used, and why young hieromonks should not be assigned to parishes?