Monastic cell
A cell is a small room used by a Hermit, Monk, Anchorite or nuns to live and as a devotional space. They are often part of larger communities like Christian monasteries and Buddhist vihara,[1] but may also form stand alone structures, located in remote location.
Etymology
The word Cell comes from the Old French celle meaning a monastic cell, itself from the Latin meaning room,[2] Store room or chamber.[3]
In Christianity
A cell in the Christian context is name for the living quarters of monastics, both male and female. Usually, a monk’s cell is small and contains a minimum of furnishings.
The term cell applies to such a living space in a building, usually within a cenobitic monastery, which consists of rooms for each monk or nun, as well as a hermit's primitive solitary living space (possibly a cave, hut in the desert, deep forest, etc.) isolated from monasteries. In a cenobitic setting the building of "cells” also contains communal rooms for eating.
The first cells were in the Egyptian, Nitrian Desert following the ministry of Paul of Thebes[4] Serapion and Anthony the Great.[5] in the mid 3rd century.
Buddhism
See Monastery#Buddhism
In Buddhism vihara are similar to the European Cell, however their use is often restricted the rainy season and the vihara retreat.
See also
- Hermitage (religious retreat)
- Ashram in Hinduism
- Poustinia in Orthodox Christianity
- Nazirite in Judism
- Therapeutae in Judaism
- Prison cell
- Pachomius founder of cenobitic monasteries
- Kathisma
References
- ↑ Cell at Merriam Websters Dictionary.com.
- ↑ Cell at dictionary.reference.com.
- ↑ cell at Oxford Dictionary.
- ↑ St Pauls Monastery Egypt.
- ↑ Chryssavgis, John; Ware, Kallistos; Ward, Benedicta, In the Heart of the Desert: Revised Edition The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (World Wisdom Bloomington, Ind., 2008) p15.