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They still exist. Historically, they were places where men could spend their lives dedicated to prayer and communing with the Christian God. Many monks (residents of monasteries) swore vows of celibacy, poverty, silence, and other practices that forced them to turn away from worldly things. Many also dedicated themselves to good works for the poor and sick.

In the Middle Ages, some monasteries got very rich from donations and bequests and some kings tried (and succeeded) to take much of it from them.

There are also monks and monasteries in other religions and other places, notably Buddhism in Asia.

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15y ago

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