The rise and fall of Western Monasticism

[Justice]

The rise and fall of western Christianity is huge and important in understanding the modern Roman Catholic Church. Though today, I would like to look at western monasticism and how it started out with many Pius Irish monks to the downfall of Henry VIII. The earliest western monasteries can be found in Ireland where the monks lived in small rock huts on an island called Skelig Michael. Researchers have even found remains of child monastics from ages nine to ten. This monastery was one example of the original purpose of monasteries to shelter oneself from the world. Later in the sixth century, king Oswald, a converted Christian established a monastery in the Celtic tradition on the island of Lindisfarne. Lindisfarne's location is unique because it was located right across from king Oswalds palace. It's also the first monastery to be politically involved in the lives of the nobility and the common people. Fast forward to the eighth century, when the devastating Viking raid on the monastery on Lindisfarne has occurred. This raid on the monastery sent a message to the Christian kings of England that something must be changed. Thus, monasteries began being established in towns and cities and became more and more involved in politics and daily life. This is when the monasteries began receiving more money for the cause of a Christ as the monks would say though science has compared an average man from the Middle Ages and a monk from the Middle Ages and the monk was much healthier than the man because of his regular diet of dairy and meat. The test also showed that the monks were living longer as a result. (The Ages of death were 25 to 55) the fat monk became a stereotype as a result of their outrageous diet. Soon monasteries became more corrupt with abbots having mistresses and using sign language to cheat the rule of no talking. By the time of Henry VIII,the monasteries were at a point of no return and Henry the VIII, when breaking from the Roman church, ordered all monestaries and nunaries closed down. The rise and fall of western monasticism shows us through innovations the monasteries were spiritually killed and allowed themselves to be consumed with temptation.

Image of Skelig Michael.

[Barbara]

Nice research, Justice, into early monastery life in Britain.
I was going to write something here about "The Holy Isle", but got delayed.

Anyway, today is the Translation of the Relics of St Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne and Northumbria ! Greetings to you and all with this Feast.

Note : I would strongly disagree that corruption or lax morals was the motivation for Henry's suppression of the Catholic monasteries and convents.
It was his big fat EGO, inspired and pushed hard by the Devil to destroy all holy things possible ?

After all, who took all the wonderful Church items out of the Cathedrals and Abbeys and melted them down for cash for himself - and the state ?
Who had this blasphemous approach to God and the things owned by God in His Churches ? Henry, who loved to break every rule possible, like every sociopath.

[Justice]

Nice research, Justice, into early monastery life in Britain.
I was going to write something here about "The Holy Isle", but got delayed.

Anyway, today is the Translation of the Relics of St Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne and Northumbria ! Greetings to you and all with this Feast.

Note : I would strongly disagree that corruption or lax morals was the motivation for Henry's suppression of the Catholic monasteries and convents.
It was his big fat EGO, inspired and pushed hard by the Devil to destroy all holy things possible ?

After all, who took all the wonderful Church items out of the Cathedrals and Abbeys and melted them down for cash for himself - and the state ?
Who had this blasphemous approach to God and the things owned by God in His Churches ? Henry, who loved to break every rule possible, like every sociopath.

True, Henry VIII's ego really did show when he split of from the Roman Catholic Church, and when he destroyed the monasteries. Not to mention him divorcing all but one of his wives.
Though back to the western saints, I recently read an article that St. Patrick of Ireland was recently canonized by the MP. Does this mean that the Traditional Orthodox churches haven't canonized St. Patrick of Ireland either?

[Maria]

Nice research, Justice, into early monastery life in Britain.
I was going to write something here about "The Holy Isle", but got delayed.

Anyway, today is the Translation of the Relics of St Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne and Northumbria ! Greetings to you and all with this Feast.

Note : I would strongly disagree that corruption or lax morals was the motivation for Henry's suppression of the Catholic monasteries and convents.
It was his big fat EGO, inspired and pushed hard by the Devil to destroy all holy things possible ?

After all, who took all the wonderful Church items out of the Cathedrals and Abbeys and melted them down for cash for himself - and the state ?
Who had this blasphemous approach to God and the things owned by God in His Churches ? Henry, who loved to break every rule possible, like every sociopath.

True, Henry VIII's ego really did show when he split of from the Roman Catholic Church, and when he destroyed the monasteries. Not to mention him divorcing all but one of his wives.
Though back to the western saints, I recently read an article that St. Patrick of Ireland was recently canonized by the MP. Does this mean that the Traditional Orthodox churches haven't canonized St. Patrick of Ireland either?

St. Patrick is a Pre-schism saint, so he has always been venerated by both the East and West. Perhaps the MP never knew of his existence.

[Agios_Irineos]

It is not so much that Moscow "canonized" him as they included him in their liturgical calendar.

[Barbara]

That makes sense, Fr Irineos.

To answer the rest of Justice's question, I am not sure about the position of the TOCs. Surely they will recognize him as a Saint, for the reason Maria said.
But whether in practice there is much awareness of St Patrich, or veneration for him, to be found in the Russian or other foreign-based TOCs, I am less certain.

We do know that one TOC, the GOC-K St Gregory of Sinai Monastery, has earlier this year elevated a Hieromonk Patrick [ Doolan ] to the rank of Archimandrite and Abbot of that monastery.

One can assume that monasteries with a quotient of converts are much more likely to have the name Patrick amongst their ranks, as it is such a common Catholic name that any converts to Orthodoxy would probably retain their name, as did this Archimandrite Patrick of St Gregory of Mt Sinai Monastery.