How to become a monk

[Nick Moser]

I thought about leaving my life to find internal calmness. Something I am struggling to find in the outside world. I want to become a monk not just to heal my mental illnesses but to serve God. How can I become an Oriental and/or Eastern Orthodox monk?

 

[dzheremi]

I have never been a monk, but I did stay in a Coptic monastery for about two weeks a few years ago in order to do linguistic research there. To the best of my recollection, for any overnight stay, a letter of permission is to be sent with you from your parish priest, or if possible your bishop (as you need to be vouched for in any case when in another bishop's territory) before visiting the monastery. Seeing as you are not Oriental Orthodox, I don't see how you could get such a letter to begin with, although I also don't know if there might be some agreements in place between Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox at this level, as I know of monks who have been received from EO monasteries into the Coptic Orthodox Church (the famous modern anchorite Fr. Lazarus El Antony is one such case; before becoming Coptic Orthodox he had been with the Serbian Orthodox). This would be something you should check with the relevant parties.

In a more general sense, it is expected that you should have some kind of connection to the particular monastery in order to be considered to take vows there. In the same way that you would not be able to show up to any EO church without proper introduction and expect to take communion, it is not to be expected that anyone who simply shows up to the monastery and expresses a desire to be a monk will actually be accepted.

I have heard of other guidelines with regard to the life you will be surrendering (that a candidate not be in financial debt, for instance), but I don't know the specifics of how things work out in any individual situation. I imagine there is a lot of variation. From my brief discussions a few years ago in the Coptic monastery with a monk there, it is far more often the case that people will come intending to live the life of a monk and eventually leave after finding it too difficult to adjust to in different aspects. Even from my ~2 weeks there, I can understand. It is a very, very different life, and requires a certain temperament and inclination that I am sad to say I do not currently possess, although I think I got quite a lot out of it as a pilgrim of sorts.

Perhaps visiting an EO monastery as a pilgrim for a little while will help you to get a small taste of the life, and then if you find yourself wanting to move forward you will be able to ask the brothers there about the specifics of how you might join the monastery on a more permanent basis.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I agree that to visit a monastery would be the best first step.

You need permission from the monastery to stay overnight. These vary. There is generally a limit on time allowed for various reasons. They often allow only a few days at most without a deeper reason, and sometimes the limit may be around two weeks because the dynamics change after one has been there for a while. That's up to the particular monastery.

Many do find that the life is not what they expected and cannot renounce the world to that degree, or handle the stillness, or find the schedule and asceticism difficult, or are overwhelmed by the spiritual warfare, etc.

If one DOES progress to wanting to become a monastic, there is usually a prolonged period of living the life before taking any vows, to ensure the fit is really a good one. And one generally doesn't change locations - wherever they are attached, they stay.

If you just wish some healing, some stillness, etc. then a pilgrimage might be a good place to start. Monasteries are good places to visit for that sort of thing.

Honestly, a great deal of healing is necessary before one could profitably become a monastic, depending on what sort of "healing" you mean - it is doubtful someone would be accepted until that work was already accomplished - for their own sake and that of the monastery. It might be possible to enter a novice period in the meantime.

Have you been Orthodox for a long time? Monasticism is not something a good abbot would bless fully entering into quickly.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I thought about leaving my life to find internal calmness. Something I am struggling to find in the outside world. I want to become a monk not just to heal my mental illnesses but to serve God. How can I become an Oriental and/or Eastern Orthodox monk?

If I may say,

I would think that perhaps you can start off on a very basic level with actually going to a Monastery and then going from there. If wondering on which ones to check out, one can consider St.Mary and St.Demiana Coptic Orthodox Monastery in GA.

Been there before for a retreat with Coptic Young Adults and I absolutely loved it - and I appreciated the work of the nuns/leaders there who helped to create an atmosphere where one could develop calmness of spirit. A lot of folks who are looking for that may think they should (at first) seek to become a Monk and then realize they don't have to do that in order to develop the Monastic ideal wherever they are.

 

[Sammy-San]

I thought about leaving my life to find internal calmness. Something I am struggling to find in the outside world. I want to become a monk not just to heal my mental illnesses but to serve God. How can I become an Oriental and/or Eastern Orthodox monk?

What type of service-to pray for salvation of people more?

 

[Sammy-San]

I thought about leaving my life to find internal calmness. Something I am struggling to find in the outside world. I want to become a monk not just to heal my mental illnesses but to serve God. How can I become an Oriental and/or Eastern Orthodox monk?

That is why I find the most important thing to pray about

 

[dzheremi]

Welcome to the forum, Superhero Sam.

Thank you for sharing your view. Please keep in mind, however, that as this is the Voice in the Desert forum, it is meant primarily for the exposition and discussion of the Oriental Orthodox faith in particular, so it is best that any prayers that are offered up as models be from within that tradition.

Luckily, there are many such prayers that are connected to monasticism, which is the actual topic of this thread.

From the Midnight Praises of the Coptic Orthodox tradition, we pray the following opening hymn, which is known in Coptic as "Tentheenou", and in English as "Arise, O Children of the Light", after its first line:

Arise O children of the light, let us praise the Lord of hosts.

+ That He may grant us the salvation of our souls.

Whenever we stand before You in the flesh.

+ Cast away from our minds the slumber of sleep.

Grant us sobriety O Lord, that we may know how to stand before You at times of prayer.

+ And ascribe unto You the befitting glorification, and win the forgiveness of our many sins. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Behold bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

By night lift up your hands O you saints and bless the Lord. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ The Lord bless you from Zion, who created heaven and earth. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Let my cry come before You O Lord, give me understanding according to Your word. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ Let my supplication come before You, deliver me according to Your word. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

My lips shall overflow with praise, when You have taught me Your statutes. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ My tongue shall speak of Your words for all Your commandments are righteous. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Let Your hand help me for I have chosen Your precepts. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ I have longed for Your salvation O Lord, and Your Law is my delight. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Let my soul live and it shall praise You, and let Your judgments help me. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek Your servant for I do not forget Your commandments. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ Now and forever and unto the age of all ages Amen. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto all the ages Amen. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ Glory be to You O good One the Lover of Mankind, glory be to Your Mother the Virgin and all Your saints. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

Glory be to You O only-begotten One, O holy Trinity have mercy upon us. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

+ Let God arise and let all His enemies be scattered and let all that hate His holy name flee from before His face. Glory be to You O Lover of Mankind.

As for Your people let them be blessed, a thousand thousand fold and ten thousand ten thousand fold, doing Your will.

+ O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.

+++

Coptic version:

English version:

"Long" Coptic version (Tentheeno "El Kabir"):