The hypotyposis of the Theotokos Evergetis and the making of a monastic typikon
The most important sources of information about how a Byzantine monastery was set up and organised, and then how it functioned on a daily basis are two typika. These texts, the one liturgical and the other administrative, provide first and foremost a detailed description of the liturgical life within the community, and secondly set out the prescriptions regarding food and the observing of fasts, the behaviour of the monks both in the communal areas such as the trapeza and the katholikon and in their own cells, the role of the hegoumenos, the duties of those with special responsibilities, the rules regarding visitors especially if they were of the other gender and the requirements for entry into the community. The administrative typikon usually specifies also that the foundation is to be independent of all outside authority and may Iist the commemorations which are to take place for the founder and possibly also for members of his or her family. Obviously such texts were of very great importance in that they encapsulated the way of life that was to be practised by the community; and it was usual for the founder to state that he or she did not wish any changes to be made in the prescriptions laid down in the
Jordan, Robert Hamilton
Byzantine monastery
The hypotyposis of the Theotokos Evergetis and the making of a monastic typikon. The most important sources of information about how a Byzantine monastery was set up and organised, and then how it functioned on a daily basis are two typika. These texts, the one liturgical and the other administrative, provide first and foremost a detailed description of the liturgical life within the community, and secondly set out the prescriptions regarding food and the observing of fasts, the behaviour of the monks both in the communal areas such as the trapeza and the katholikon and in their own cells, the role of the hegoumenos, the duties of those with special responsibilities, the rules regarding visitors especially if they were of the other gender and the requirements for entry into the community. The administrative typikon usually specifies also that the foundation is to be independent of all outside authority and may Iist the commemorations which are to take place for the founder and possibly also for members of his or her family. Obviously such texts were of very great importance in that they encapsulated the way of life that was to be practised by the community; and it was usual for the founder to state that he or she did not wish any changes to be made in the prescriptions laid down in the
make monastic important source_information byzantine monastery set organise function daily_basis text liturgical administrative provide_first foremost detailed_description liturgical life within_community secondly set prescription regard food observe fast behaviour monk communal area cell role duty special responsibility rule regard visitor especially gender requirement entry community administrative usually specify also foundation independent outside authority may commemoration take_place founder possibly also member_family obviously texts great_importance encapsulate way_life practise community usual founder state wish change make prescription lay