What was the daily life for a monk in the middle ages?

Answer 1

Well, it started as a way to be closer to God and follow his sons vows of poverty. What it became was a powerful corporation that sold prayer for money. The view of the people was that the more severe the monastery the more the prayer was worth to God. So when a soldier or King would kill or start a war they would give the monks money to pray for them. God would then forgive them their sins and they were free to go to heaven. But like most corporations, money and power corrupted the monks. They had armies and brothels.

Answer 2

The detailed description of a day in the life of a Benedictine monk (as just one example) would fill a small book, so this is a considerably condensed version. Specific times varied from monastery to monastery and between summer and winter, but the general routine was similar everywhere.

At around midnight (slightly later in some monasteries and depending on the time of year) all monks rise from their beds and file silently into the church by way of the "night stairs". They are already fully dressed, needing only to put on shoes. The first two services of the day (Matins and Lauds) would be said without a break, then the monks return to bed.

Rise again at around 5 am, wash, comb hair, visit the necessarium, then gather in the cloister silently - each monk with the book he has been permitted to borrow that year. Read silently until the bell is sounded for Prime at about 6 am.

Attend the daily Chapter meeting at around 6.30 to 7 am, where business matters would be discussed, punishments awarded, tasks allocated and any complaints raised. Attend Mass in the church.

Work in the appointed task until the bell is sounded for Tierce at around 9 am, then return to work until the midday service (Sext). Wash hands at the lavatorium within the cloister, then attend the refectory for the main meal of the day. The meal must be eaten in total silence while the "weekly reader" reads aloud a religious text. Wash hands again afterwards, then to the cloister for private reading.

More work follows, then the 3 pm service (None or Nones) before more study and work. Vespers in the Church at about 6 pm, followed by supper (only during the summer months) and a further period of study and work before Compline at about 8 pm.

After Compline all monks retire in total silence to their dormitory and their beds.

"Work" covers a very wide spectrum of activities including writing in the scriptorium, baking bread, brewing ale, tending the fishpools, tending the honey bees, gardening, acting as doorkeeper (porter), working in the infirmary, guesthouse or kitchen and many more tasks.

Religious books would be borrowed annually from the library - but each monk was expected not only to read the book but to consider its deeper meaning, how its message could be applied to his own life, the lessons it contained and what the monk could adopt himself from its teachings. That is the reason for only one book per year - the monk virtually learned each one by heart.