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The Carmelites are believed to have been founded by hermits sometime in the 12th century on Mount Carmel in Israel (then part of the Crusader States). The Order’s spiritual father was Prophet Elijah, and they followed the rule of Saint Albert of Jerusalem.
The Carmelites were devoted to the Virgin Mary. The Order’s full name, Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, reflects this.
Around 1240, the Order moved from the Holy Land to Europe and revised their rule with the help of the Dominicans. They too became mendicant friars.
During the Middle Ages, Carmelites wore a distinct habit consisting of a brown tunic and white mantle.
Spanish Carmelite Saint Teresa of Ávila founded the first Carmelite convent for women in 1452.
Famous protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) was an Augustinian friar from 1505 until 1520, when he was excommunicated.
The Augustinians follow the ‘Rule of Saint Augustine,’ by Augustine of Hippo. In 1244, the pope recognized the first order, which grew out of hermit communities in Tuscany, Italy: the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine.
The Augustinians were a mendicant order, meaning that they would travel a lot and dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel, in contemplation and in poverty. Like the Dominicans and Benedictines, the Augustinians did their missionary work wearing black robes.
Franciscan monks really embraced extreme poverty. So much so that some monks didn’t even wear shoes. As for their habits, they were brown or gray, and they wore a cord around the waist.
Franciscans lived by strict rules. Until the late 13th century, it was forbidden for Franciscans to own property (even communally). They also didn’t accept money as alms.
The Franciscans are divided into three independent male orders, namely the Order of Friars Minor (the largest one, aka the Franciscan friars), the Minorities, and the Capuchins. Then there is the female Order of Saint Clare (aka the Poor Clares), and the Third Order of Saint Francis (which has both male and female members).
Saint Francis of Assisi emulated the life of Christ and spent his life preaching and in extreme poverty. Indeed, the Franciscans are a mendicant order, which means they lived a life of poverty and penance, dedicated to preaching and traveling.
In light of the many heretical sects of the time, Dominic decided to embark on a mission to teach people about Catholicism. He eventually founded the Order of Preachers, also known as the OP, of the Dominicans. Pictured is a room of the Maison Seilhan in Toulouse, France, where Dominic de Guzmán lived.
Nuns entered the Order from 1145 onwards, and although they also lived in the style of the Desert Fathers (early Christian hermits), nuns did put more emphasis on community.
The Dominican Order was founded in 1216 by a Spanish canon regular (a priest) named Dominic de Guzmán, who later became known as Saint Dominic.
This order of monks was founded in 1209 by the Italian friar and mystic Saint Francis of Assisi.
Preaching was a big priority of the Order and indeed heresy became a concern for the Dominicans. Eventually, Pope Gregory IX appointed the Order the duty of carrying out the Inquisition.
The Dominicans also followed their own set of rules: the Regula Sancti Augustini (‘The Rule of Saint Augustine’). The teachings were heavily focused on poverty and charity towards the sick and poor, as well as preaching the gospel.
Like the Benedictines, they too wore black robes, but they were known as the Black Friars.
The Carthusian Order did end up writing their own set of rules, called the 'Statutes.' As for their monastic lifestyle, the Carthusians were all about contemplation, silence, and solitude. Meaning they had virtually no contact with the outside world.
The Cistercians sported the same hairstyle as the Benedictines (they were also tonsured), but instead of black habits, they wore white robes, and were therefore known as the White Monks.
The Carthusian Order was founded in 1084 by a former priest from Germany named Bruno of Cologne (c. 1030-1101). Unlike the Cistercians and the Benedictines, the Carthusians did not follow the Regula Benedicti.
The Regula sets out the guidelines for monastic life, and how a community of monks should live under the authority of an abbot or prior. The text includes their daily routines, including time devoted to labor and prayer. The book also listed how monks should be punished for specific sins.
Unlike the previously mentioned orders, the Carthusians didn’t have abbots. Every year, a chapter meeting of priors would ensure the 'Statutes' were being obeyed.
The Order of St. Benedict, or the OSB/the Benedictines, was the largest and arguably the most important order of monks in medieval times.
They were known for their shaved hair patches (tonsure) and for wearing black robes. Because of the color of their religious habits, the Benedictines were also known as the Black Monks.
The Cistercians were founded in 1098 by French Benedictine abbot Roland of Molesme. The order focused on following the Regula Benedicti and living a life of poverty and exile. The first monastery was founded in Cîteaux, near Dijon, France, but the Cistercians rapidly spread across Europe.
There were also Cistercian nuns, who lived in separate monasteries, of course.
The Benedictines, who were founded sometime in the 6th century, followed the teachings of the Italian monk and former hermit St. Benedict of Nursia, who wrote the Regula Benedicti (‘Rule of Benedict’).
The Cistercians dedicated a great deal of their time to agriculture and were mostly self-sufficient.
Monastic life is not for everyone, but for those who choose to live one, they now have a few options when it comes to Catholic orders. This was not always the case, especially before the Middle Ages, which was the period in which most Christian orders were founded. But what do we really know about these religious orders and the people who dedicated their lives to them?
In this gallery, we travel back in time to bring you some mesmerizing facts about medieval monks. Click on to find out all about them.
Mesmerizing facts about medieval monks
Many lived in extreme poverty
LIFESTYLE Religion
Monastic life is not for everyone, but for those who choose to live one, they now have a few options when it comes to Catholic orders. This was not always the case, especially before the Middle Ages, which was the period in which most Christian orders were founded. But what do we really know about these religious orders and the people who dedicated their lives to them?
In this gallery, we travel back in time to bring you some mesmerizing facts about medieval monks. Click on to find out all about them.