Novice

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For the city in Texas, see Novice, Texas.

1 Buddhism
2 Christianity
- 2.1 Catholicism
- 2.2 Eastern Orthodox
3 Other meanings
4 Equivalents
5 See also

[edit] Buddhism

Main article: Buddhist Novitiate

In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and studying in preparation for full ordination. The name for this level of ordination varies from one tradition to another. In Pali, the word is samanera, which means 'small monk' or 'boy monk'.

[edit] Christianity

[edit] Catholicism

Main article: Catholic novitiate

A novice in Catholic law and tradition, is a prospective member of a religious order who is being tried and being proven for suitability of admission to a religious order of brothers, sisters or monks. Novices are not admitted to vows until they have successfully completed the prescribed period of training and proving, called the novitiate. In the Middle Ages novices typically would have dormitories in separate areas within a monastery; an early Cistercian monastery, Royal Monastery of Our Lady of the Wheel, founded in the year 1202 AD has this chamber clearly visible today.

Earlier, different orders followed their own rules governing the length and conditions of the novitiate. However, in response to the Protestant Reformation, the Council of Trent legislated the length and conditions by which anyone aspiring to become a monk is obliged to be a novice; the usual period is for at least one year, depending on the aptitude of the candidate.

[edit] Eastern Orthodox

In the Orthodox Church, a candidate may be clothed as a novice by the Hegumen (Abbot) or Hegumenia (Abbess) after at least three days. There is no formal ceremony for the clothing of a novice; he (or she) would simply be given the Riassa, belt and Skoufos. Nuns will also wear a veil (apostolnik) that covers the head and neck.

A novice is free to leave at any time. If, however, he perseveres, after a period of around three years the Hegumen may choose to clothe him in the first (beginning) rank of monks, the Rassaphore.

[edit] Other meanings

A novice is any person that is new to any science or field of study or activity or social cause and who is undergoing training in order to meet normal requirements of being regarded a mature and equal participant. (See newbie)

The term "novice" has also been recently used to replace the word "n00b" by a slowly increasing section of the internet population.

The word NOVICE also means a person who has joined a religious group and is preparing to become a monk or a nun.