Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of the
religious lifeThe Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit, are totally...
– cenobitic and
eremiticA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
– of the Roman Catholic,
AnglicanThe Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches. There is no single "Anglican Church" with universal juridical authority as each national or regional church has full autonomy...
, and
Eastern OrthodoxThe Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to in English speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world's second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members...
Churches, whereby they confirm their public profession of the
Evangelical CounselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth expressly stated , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
or
BenedictineThe Rule of Saint Benedict is a book of precepts written by St. Benedict of Nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women...
equivalent. They are regarded as the individual's free response to a call by God to follow
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
more closely under the action of the
Holy SpiritIn Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. In mainstream Christian beliefs he is the third person of the Trinity. As part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and with God the Son....
in a particular form of
religious livingChristian Monasticism is a practice that began to develop early in the history of the Church, modeled upon scriptural examples and ideals, including those in the Old Testament, but not mandated as an institution in the scriptures. It has come to be regulated by religious rules Christian Monasticism...
. A person who lives a religious life according to vows they have made is called a
votary or a
votarist.
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of the
religious lifeThe Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit, are totally...
– cenobitic and
eremiticA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
– of the Roman Catholic,
AnglicanThe Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches. There is no single "Anglican Church" with universal juridical authority as each national or regional church has full autonomy...
, and
Eastern OrthodoxThe Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to in English speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world's second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members...
Churches, whereby they confirm their public profession of the
Evangelical CounselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth expressly stated , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
or
BenedictineThe Rule of Saint Benedict is a book of precepts written by St. Benedict of Nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women...
equivalent. They are regarded as the individual's free response to a call by God to follow
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
ChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed". It is a translation of the Hebrew . The term "Christ" was a title rather than a proper name. In the four gospels in the New Testament, the word "Christ" is nearly always preceded by the definite article...
more closely under the action of the
Holy SpiritIn Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. In mainstream Christian beliefs he is the third person of the Trinity. As part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and with God the Son....
in a particular form of
religious livingChristian Monasticism is a practice that began to develop early in the history of the Church, modeled upon scriptural examples and ideals, including those in the Old Testament, but not mandated as an institution in the scriptures. It has come to be regulated by religious rules Christian Monasticism...
. A person who lives a religious life according to vows they have made is called a
votary or a
votarist. The religious vow, being a
public vow, is binding in Church law. One of its effects is that the person making it ceases to be free to marry. In the Roman Catholic Church, by making a religious vow – whether as a member of a religious community or as a
consecrated hermitA hermit is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society....
– one does not become a member of the
hierarchyIn the Catholic Church, the term hierarchy has a variety of related usages. Literally, "holy government", the term is employed in different instances. There is a Hierarchy of Truths, which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith. There is a hierarchical nature of the...
but remains a member of the Laity. Nevertheless, many male members of the
Consecrated lifeThe Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit, are totally...
are members of the
hierarchyIn the Catholic Church, the term hierarchy has a variety of related usages. Literally, "holy government", the term is employed in different instances. There is a Hierarchy of Truths, which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith. There is a hierarchical nature of the...
, because they are in
Holy OrdersThe term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to a group of individuals who are set apart for a special role or ministry....
. The members of some Roman Catholic communities make "recognized private vows", which must not be confused with
private vows but are similar to
public vows in Church law.
In the western church
Since the 6th century,
monkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s and
nunA Nun, or also known as a Sister in some cases, is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s following the Rule of Saint Benedict have been making the so-called Benedictine vow at their public profession of obedience (placing oneself under the direction of the abbot/abbess or prior/prioress), stability (committing onself to a particular monastery), and "conversion of manners" (which includes forgoing private ownership and celibate chastity).
During the 12th and 13th centuries
mendicant ordersThe mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle they do not own property, either individually or collectively, and have taken a vow of poverty, in order that all their time and energy could be expended on religious...
emerged, such as the Franciscans and
DominicansThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France...
, whose vocation emphasizing mobility and flexibility required them to drop the concept of "stability". They therefore profess
chastity, poverty and obedience, like the members of many other orders and religious congregations founded subsequently. The public profession of these so-called
Evangelical counselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth expressly stated , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
(or counsels of perfection), confirmed by vow or other sacred bond, are now a requirement according to modern Church Law.
The "clerks regular" of the 16th century and after, such as the Jesuits and Redemptorists, followed this same general format, though some added a "fourth vow", indicating some special apostolate or attitude within the order. Fully professed Jesuits (known as "the professed of the fourth vow" within the order), take a vow of particular obedience to the
PopeThe pope is the Bishop of Rome and, as such, is leader of the worldwide Catholic Church...
of
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
to undertake any mission laid out in their Formula of the Institute. The
Missionaries of CharityMissionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
, founded by Mother Teresa centuries later (1940s), are another example of this, in that her sisters take a fourth vow of special service to "the poorest of the poor".
In the Roman Catholic Church today
In the
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
, the vows of members of religious orders and congregations are regulated by canons 654-658 of the
Canon lawCanon Law, the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. The academic degrees in canon law are the J.C.B. , J.C.L...
. The vows are usually of two durations: temporary, and, after a few years, final vows (permanent or "perpetual"). Depending on the order, temporary vows may be renewed a number of times before permission to take final vows is given. There are exceptions: the Jesuits' first vows are
perpetual, for instance, and the
Sisters of CharityMany religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....
take only temporary but renewable vows.
Vows are of two varieties: simple vows and solemn vows. The highest level of commitment is exemplified by those who have taken their solemn, perpetual profession of vows. There are technical differences between them in
Canon lawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
There are other forms of vowed or
Consecrated lifeThe Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit, are totally...
in the Catholic Church for single men and women. They make a public profession of the
Evangelical CounselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth expressly stated , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
of chastity, poverty, and obedience, confirmed by a vow or other sacred bond, regulated by
Canon lawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
but live consecrated lives in the world (i.e. not as members of a religious institute).
Among them are the Consecrated Hermits that in accordance with canon 603 make a public profession of the
Evangelical CounselsThe three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth expressly stated , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
, confirmed by a vow or other sacred bond, once only, which is therefore perpetual.
Also among the other forms of vowed life are the Secular Institutes, regulated explicitly since 1984 by Canon Law (Canon 710-730). One of the Secular Institutes, the
Institute of the Holy FamilyThe Institute of the Holy Family is the first secular institute begun exclusively for married and widowed Catholics. Members take solemn, public vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and make a solemn promise of fidelity to the Pope and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church...
, aggregated to the Society of St. Paul, is the only form of consecrated life in the Catholic Church today that has consecrated and publicly vowed married and widowed members. While they live in the world, in their marriages, they consecrate the world and their marriages from within through public vows (i.e. vows recognised in Church law) of married chastity, poverty, and obedience, according to their particular state, and as full members of the family of 10 religious orders (first and second orders), secular institutes, and lay cooperators, called the Pauline Family, founded by the Blessed Fr. James Alberione.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church
Although the taking of vows was not a part of the earliest monastic foundations (the wearing of a particular monastic habit is the earliest recorded manifestation of those who had left the world), vows did come to be accepted as a normal part of the Tonsure service in the Christian East. Previously, one would simply find a
spiritual fatherHesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised by the Hesychast Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox...
and live under his direction. Once one put on the monastic habit, it was understood that one had made a lifetime commitment to God and would remain steadfast in it to the end. Over time, however, the formal Tonsure and taking of vows was adopted to impress upon the monastic the seriousness of the commitment to the ascetic life he or she was adopting.
The vows taken by Orthodox monks are: Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and Stability. The vows are administerd by the
AbbotHegumen, hegumenos, or ihumen is the title for the head of a monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church or Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the one of abbot...
or
HieromonkHieromonk Hieromonk Hieromonk (Greek: Ἱερομόναχος, Ieromonachos; Slavonic: Ieromonakh, , also called a Priestmonk, is a monk who is also a *priest in Eastern Orthodox Christianity....
who performs the service. Following a perod of instruction and testing as a Novice, a monk or nun may be Tonsured with the permission of the candidate's spiritual father. There are three degrees of monasticism in the Orthodox Church: The Ryassaphore (one who wears the Ryassa—however, there are no vows at this level—the Stavrophore (one who wears the Cross), and the Schema-monk (one who wears the Great Schema; i.e., the full monastic habit). The one administering the Tonsure must be an ordained Priest, and must be a monk of at least the rank he is tonsuring the candidate into. However a Bishop (who, in the Orthodox Church, must always be a monk) may Tonsure a monk or nun into any degree regardless of his own monastic rank.
External links
- Taking Monastic Vows Orthodox monks at Valaam Monastery
The Valaam Monastery, or Valamo Monastery is a stauropegic Orthodox monastery in Russian Karelia, located on Valaam, the largest island in Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe....