Category:Christian monasteries

A monastery is a community of religious monastics and the building or complex of buildings where they live and work. The technical definition of a monastery differs somewhat from its common usage; in Christianity, a monastery is a community of monastics, chiefly of the cloistered orders. A monastery for female monastics (nuns) may be called a nunnery. Communities of mendicant orders are known as convents; a convent for male mendicants (friars) may be known as a friary. A community of canons regular is called a canonry.

The terms abbey and priory can be applied to both monasteries and canonries, and distinguish those headed by an abbot from the lesser dependent houses headed by a prior. Other communities, depending on their organization and particular religious tradition, may be known as a cenobium, hermitage, lavra, or skete among other terms.