The
Clergy: The group that lived the most
comfortable life during the Middle Ages was the clergy. How
comfortable was it? Let's find out.
Monks
(men) - Benedictine Rule: A monk is a man who has chosen to
devote his life to a certain discipline of prayer. Monks dressed in
loose brown robes, tied at the waist with a cord. In 520 CE, a priest
named Benedict built a monastery in Italy. The rules he established
were called Benedictine Rule. According to these rules, priests could
not marry, could not own goods, and had to obey their abbot. The abbot
was the head or ruler of the monastery. The abbot made the rules or
laws of the monastery.
Benedict's influence was very strong. Soon, all
monks had to take three vows:
-
Vow of poverty. This meant he had to give up
all his worldly goods.
-
Vow of chastity. This meant he had to stay
single.
-
Vow of obedience. This meant he had to
promise to obey the church and the rules of the monastery.
Nuns
(women): Women could choose to become nuns. Nuns lived in a
convent. Their rulers was the abbess. Nuns wore a gown, a veil, and a
wimple. A wimple was a white cloth that wrapped around the neck and
face. Most nuns had a far more active life than the monks. Nuns
prayed, but they also spent time spinning, weaving, and teaching. They
taught needlework and the use of herbs to noblewomen.
Monasteries
and Convents: Although monks and nuns lived away from
village life, they did interact with other people. Monasteries and
Convents served as hospitals for the sick, guesthouses for weary
travelers, distribution centers for the needy, and storage facilities
for food.
