Coinobitism
Koinobitentum referred to a monastic life in which the monks without possessions "lived together under one roof" (from ancient Greek κοινός βίος koinós bíos "common / communal life") and were separated from the outside world by a wall . An archimandrite or abbot took over the management and looked after one or more community houses.
Origin and history
Koinobitentum (also Zönobitentum, Coenobitentum), in contrast to the Eremitentum (see also Anachoreten ), is the name for a form of monastic community. In the monasticism of the Orthodox churches , for example on the monastery peninsula of Athos (Northern Greece ), this way of life also emerged. The first Koinobitic monk rule from the first half of the 4th century probably came from Pachomios (around 292–346) and was written in the Coptic language . Pachomios came from the soldier's profession , so it is likely that his rules - reminiscent of strict military guidelines - were influenced by his previous professional and life experience. The rules continued to stipulate unconditional obedience , non-possession, and inclusion in the daily routine. In the times of Pachomios, eleven monasteries were built on his model on the great arch of the Nile ( Upper Egypt ) in Tabennisi , which developed a strong economic power. In the period that followed, many other monasteries emerged in Egypt, which flourished from the 5th to the 7th century (connected to personalities such as Schenute von Atripe , the abbot of the White Monastery of Sohag ). But even in the time after the Islamic conquest in the 7th century, the monasteries of Egypt were centers of Christian life until the 12th century. In modern times, coinobitism experienced a renaissance in the 1970s, a development that was existentially important for Coptic Christianity.
In the Eastern Churches in Armenia under Bishop Eustathius von Sebaste († after 377), a turning away from the economic power exercises of the coinobitic monasteries developed. In charge was also Archbishop Basil of Caesarea ( Cappadocia ) (330-379), the focus of the monk work in the pastoral care , nursing shifted and childcare. Ambrosius (339–397) adopted this newly developed way of life for his diocese of Milan . At the Council of Chalcedon (451) it was decided that the monasteries should be subordinate to the local dioceses . Thus, the bishops had the right to found monasteries in their jurisdiction , at the same time they carried out the supervision. In contrast to the oriental monasticism, the occidental was financially and politically promoted by the nobles . Johannes Cassianus (around 360-435) had got to know the monasteries on his trip to Egypt and founded the first monasteries in southern Gaul , including a monastery in Marseille , a so-called double monastery . By St. Benedict was then (around 480-529) the Cenobites to the classical model monastery, he combined in his monastic rules the eastern and western elements.
Life form
The monks lived for life in a close community and in closed and screened living rooms. According to Pachomios' rules, every monk had to renounce his own property of any kind. The living rooms were in a complex that was surrounded by a wall - today we call it a monastery. A uniform way of life was prescribed, all inmates wore the same clothes, received the same food and regulated their daily lives. Everyday life was guided by services and work, which were repeated at regular intervals. In Orthodox monasteries, the leadership was taken over by an archimandrite and later in the Roman-oriented monasteries by an abbot. The flogging was part of the punishment and education. The monastery community owned the property and ensured the living conditions, including food, shelter and clothing. The monastery's possessions included lands, forest areas and workshops, but also buildings, works of art and libraries .
literature
- Josef Gelmi , in Bruno Moser (ed.), The Christian Universe - The Illustrated History of Christianity from the Beginnings to Today, Südwest Verlag Munich, 1st edition 1981, ISBN 3-517-00719-6
- Manfred Jacobs: The Imperial Church and its dogmas: from the time of Constantine to the fall of the Western Roman Empire . In: Approaches to Church History . tape 3 . Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1987, ISBN 3-525-33531-8 ( limited preview in the Google book search [accessed on January 16, 2017]).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Siegfried G. Richter : From the monastic life. Lines of Development of Monasticism in Egypt. In: H. Behlmer, M. Tamcke (eds.): Christians in Egypt (= Göttinger Orientforschungen. Volume IV, 60). Wiesbaden 2015, pp. 25–40.
- ^ Siegfried G. Richter : The Coptic Egypt. Treasures in the shadow of the pharaohs. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2019, pp. 120–127.