De monastica exercitatione

work by Saint Nilus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

De monastica exercitatione (On Monastic Practice) is a work by Saint Nilus of Ancyra, a Greek Byzantine abbot and influential writer on monasticism. Written around the 4th or early 5th century, the text emphasizes that true monastic obedience lies in the renunciation of one's will and any resistance to a religious superior. Nilus believed that the superior's role is to guide the monk's prayer life and protect them from spiritual dangers. He also suggested that the ascetic life is best lived in solitude, away from the temptations of the city, to avoid vanity. Nilus's writings contributed significantly to both Eastern and Western monastic traditions.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Saint Nilus of Ancyra
…moral and monastic subjects, including De monastica exercitatione (“On Monastic Practice”) and De voluntaria paupertate (“On Voluntary Poverty”), which stress the essence of monastic obedience as the renunciation of the will and all resistance to the religious superior, whose duty is to guide the prayer life of the monk and…
Read More
…moral and monastic subjects, including De monastica exercitatione (“On Monastic Practice”) and De voluntaria paupertate (“On Voluntary Poverty”), which stress the essence of monastic obedience as the renunciation of the will and all resistance to the religious superior, whose duty is to guide the prayer life of the monk and…
Read More