What is wadie el natrun?
What is monasticism?
- What is a monastery?
- What is a monk?
- What is monastic life
- How did it start/ why did it start
- who started it
- How its practiced today; what they do today
What is Wadi El-Natrun?
Wadi el natrun is a historic desert valley in Egypt. It has been a major center of Christian
monasticism since the 4th century AD and continues to be home to some of the oldest
functioning monasteries in the world.
Wadi El-Ntrun became home to over 50,000 coptic monks across 500 monasteries
What is a monastery?
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, a monastery is a sacred place where monks dedicate their
lives entirely to prayer, worship, asceticism, and service to God, away from the distractions
of the world. The word “monastery” comes from the Greek monasterion, meaning "a place
for one to live alone," and this is deeply connected to the early Christian practice of solitary
life for spiritual devotion. The monastery is a communal structure meaning that the space is
shared by all members of the community.
A Coptic monastery typically includes:
- Cells (individual living quarters for monks where they live pray and sleep) the cells
are split up into two sections one section where they greet other monks and another
section that is only dedicated to prayer and solitude
- A church or chapel for liturgies and midnight praises
- Dining hall
- Library
- Farmland or workshops for self-sufficiency
In egypt the old monasteries from the past had forts and bridges to protect themselves from
the barbarians
Monasteries are spiritual centers and places of pilgrimage, offering guidance and retreat for
the faithful.
What is a monk?
A monk is a man who dedicates his entire life to God through asceticism, prayer, solitude
and celibacy, usually living in a monastery. Monks choose to live a spiritual life in seclusion
They are people who have deprived themselves of everything, to live humbly, and in
contemplation at its highest level, executing the word of the Holy Bible.”Do not love the world
or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15-17). Monks are seens as spiritual warriors, praying
for the world and the church.
Three vows of a monk:
1. Obedience
2. Chastity
3. Poverty
What do monks wear and what does it represent?
- The 12 crosses resemble disciples and the cross in the back to resembles jesus
- the split in the middle to resemble when St anthony was fighting the demons and the
devil tore his hood this also resembles the continuous fight we have with satan
- The black monks wear represents their death to the world
What is monasticism?
Monasticism is a deeply spiritual way of life where people leave the world to live in complete
dedication to God, often in solitude, prayer, fasting and manual labor. It involves renouncing
worldly possessions and relationships to follow Christ more closely. This involves living in
monasteries, either in solitude (hermits) or in community. It involves committing to a life of
Prayer, fasting, worship, obedience and chastity.
The goal of true monasticism is a continuous life filled with prayers. A life of continuous
prayers is the main feature of a monk’s life which is difficult for ordinary to live due to their
worldly engaging tasks and interests.
Monasticism remains a voluntary, lifelong calling, not taken lightly—often involving years of
testing and spiritual preparation before one becomes a full monk or nun
Who started it?
Monasticism was founded by St. Anthony in the 3rd century in Egypt, he’s considered the
Father of monasticism worldwide. He gave up his wealth after hearing Christ’s words in the
Gospel to “sell all you have and follow me”. He withdrew to the desert to live a life of prayer,
fasting, and solitude. His holiness and dedication inspired many to follow his example, and
although he lives as a hermit, he became a spiritual father to a community of monks. His life
laid the foundation for monasticism, making the Egyptian desert the birthplace of this sacred
tradition.
St. Pachomius is known as the founder of communal monasticism in the coptic orthodox
church. St. Anthony, lives alone in the desert, but St. Pachomius believed that monks could
grow spiritually while living and working together in a community. He established the first
Monastery where monks followed a shared daily routine of prayer, work and worship under a
common rule. This new from of monastic life, known as cenobtic monasticism, allowed for
discipline, brotherhood, and mutual support, and became the model for Christian
monasteries around the world. The desert fathers lived in the deserts of Egypt and inspired
the monastic movement across the world.
A day in the life:
- Prayer: Monastics pray the Agpeya (Coptic Book of Hours) throughout the day, often
waking at dawn for Midnight Praises and ending the day with Compline
- Divine Liturgy: Done regularity, often daily
- Manual Labor: they farm, make crafts like icons, prayer ropes, clothing
- Silence and solitude: While they live in community, personal time in silence, Scripture
reading, and spiritual reflection is important.
- Hospitality : Many monasteries welcome visitors and retreatants who seek spiritual
guidance or rest.
- Obedience and humility: Monastics live under the guidance of an abbot, and commit
to a life of humility, service, and inner purification
Link to schedule in st moses abbey: [Link]
Monasticism today (worldwide)
Today Monasticism in the coptic orthodox church continues to follow the ancient traditions
set by St. Anthony and [Link]. Monks still live lives of prayer, fasting, simplicity and
obedience, usually within monasteries located in the Egyptian desert or in a diaspora around
the world (such as in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe)
A key takeaway: Monasticism started in egypt and then was brought to the west through
people visiting egypt and seeing the works of the monks. Monks in egypt inspired monks as
far as britain and ireland and this led to the monasticism movement in other countries.
Why we’re called wadi al natrun?
What’s a monastery?
What’s a monk?
What is monasticism?
How/who did it start? : Saint Anthony and Saint Pachomius
A day in the life
Monasticism today (worldwide)