Monks and Monasteries
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the church history module for Grade 5 is to understand the beginning of Christian literature and the establishment of our theology. This lesson will focus on learning about monasticism, some of our great Orthodox church monks, and monasteries.
INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes
Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)
Ask the kids what would pack if they were going on a trip. Have them list as many items that they could think of. Ask them what should we pack or prepare for our heavenly life? How do we get ourselves prepared for our heavenly life?
HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes
"But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." (John 17:13-16)
Memory Verse
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Matthew 19:21)
CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 30 Minutes
Monasticism began in the Coptic orthodox church by the end of the third century and flourished in the fourth century. There were many monasteries and caves in the mountains of Egypt.
Prayers, good deeds, kindness, love, humility, and many other virtues that monks have lived by and grew in that helped them to live a heavenly life on earth and unite with God.
In monasticism, monks live in solitude, prayers, and worship. Their hearts, focus, minds, and desire to live alone with God. They isolate themselves from the world and are attached only to God.
Coptic orthodox church history is full of many great saintly monks as listed below:
Saint Anthony the Great (The father of the monks) was born in Middle Egypt. He was eighteen years old when he entered the church and heard the words of the Gospel: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell all you have and give to the poor; and come, follow Me " (Matthew 19:21). He gave his wealth to the poor and needy and entrusted his sister with a community of virgins.
At that time, monasticism had not yet been established. St. Anthony did as he dwelt alone, worshipping, and living an ascetic life.
The devil fought him there by afflicting him with boredom and laziness. He overcame the devil's snares by the power of the Lord Christ.
He continued in this condition of solitary worship for 20 years. Then by God's command, he went to El-Fayyum and confirmed the brethren there in the faith, then returned to his monastery. After, he went far away to the inner wilderness until he found a spring of water and some palm trees, and then he chose to settle there. On this spot now stands the monastery of St. Anthony the Great. The Bedouins came to him with bread, and the Lord drove away all the wild beasts from this place, for his sake.
One day, he was bored, and he heard a voice telling him, "Go out and see." He went out and saw an angel who wore a girdle with a cross, one resembling the holy Eskeem (as monks would wear), and on his head was a headcover (Kolansowa). He was sitting while braiding palm leaves, then he stood up to pray, and again he sat to weave. A voice came to him saying, "Anthony, do this and you will rest." Henceforth, he started to wear this tunic that he saw, and began to weave palm leaves, and never got bored again.
Saint Paul was the first anchorite in the world. The anchorites or hermits lived in complete seclusion, only visiting the abbot (head of the monastery) when they needed counsel. Each hermit organizes his own prayer, clothing, food, and work. Saint Paul lived for 70 years in the Egyptian desert without seeing a single person. He put on a tunic made of palm tree fiber. The Lord sent him a raven every day with a half loaf of bread.
St. Pachomius was the Father of the Spiritual Communal Monastic life (Cenobitic life). He converted to Christianity when he witnessed the generosity of Christians and their love even of their enemies. He left the army and was baptized in 307 AD. He became a disciple of St. Palamon the hermit and lived in submission to him for many years, and he mastered well the ways of the monastic life. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him and commanded him to establish a communal and holy monastic life. Many monks gathered together with him, and he built for them many monasteries and established for them a system of manual labor, the times of prayers, and eating. He was the father of them all, with an Abbot in every monastery.
Some of the well-known Coptic orthodox monasteries in Egypt:
Saint Anthony Monastery in the eastern desert of Egypt, in the Red Sea mountains. The cave, in which the saint spent most of his life, is located beside it.
Saint Paul the Anchorite Monastery in the eastern desert of Egypt, near the Red Sea mountains. It was founded over the cave where Saint Paul the Anchorite lived for more than eighty years
Monks' lives are great examples of living the Gospel and showing the image of God. By their own will, they left the world because they knew that they don't belong to this world, but to God.
DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes
Why do monks live in solitude?
Who was Saint Paul the hermit?
Why do we call St. Pachomius the Father of the Spiritual Communal Monastic life?
Why do we name St. Anthony as the father of the monks?
LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes
Encourage the kids to live a life of prayer, self-discipline, not being attached to materialistic things, and helping others. Servants can plan for a weekly/monthly prayer log including their daily Gospel readings and confession. The kids can share their acts of helping others in the following week.
ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes
Plan for preparing care packages (socks, canned food, granola bars...etc) that kids can assemble together for the homeless. The kids can pass care packages while they are driving by any of the homeless. Parents/servants can plan together on preparing the required supplies and have the kids be involved in the planning process. Talk to the kids by giving to the poor, we will have treasures in heaven as we are following Christ same as what St. Anthony did.
SERVANT RESOURCES
St. Antony the Great Synaxarium
PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK
Parents can review with their children the Synaxarium for the lives of saint Paul, saint Pachomius and Saint Anthony the Great. If they have been to monasteries in Egypt, tell the children what they are like or any other stories of the monks.