Nun in Great Schema

[topum]

I saw this Great Schema nun in one of the Monasteries not far from our village today.



Great Schema is the highest level of Orthodox monasticism. In some Orthodox monastic traditions the Great Schema is never given or is only given to monks and nuns on their death bed, while in others, e.g., the cenobitic monasteries on Mount Athos, it is common to tonsure a monastic into the Great Schema only 3 years after commencing the monastic life.

The black and white garment the nun is wearing is called analavos, it is the article of monastic vesture emblematic of the Great Schema and is sometimes itself called the "Great Schema".

Comments

Nun in Great Schema

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User info_infanterie referenced to your post from Nun in Great Schema (http://info-infanterie.livejournal.com/6776513.html) saying: [...] Originally posted by at Nun in Great Schema [...]

[susandennis]

I really do enjoy all your photos and appreciate your little explanations of each. I've never been to the places you have and I feel like I get a little mini trip every day.

But this photo is special I love everything about it. The colors, the angles, the nun and your explanation of the Great Schema which I'd never even heard of.

Thanks for making my days more interesting!

[topum.livejournal.com]

Thank you Susan. I am glad you enjoy the photos.
I am enjoying my stay in this least visited place in Europe and one of the least visited in the world. The Orthodox tradition is among a number of fascinating things I enjoyed learning a bit about here. It is very much not on the surface and not easy to get to, the place is absolutely not touristy and the Orthodox here are not interested in preaching or converting anyone so it is all mostly "hidden" from the view of an occasional tourist.

[beautesauvage13.livejournal.com]

Interesting.  I've not ever heard of this great schema before.  Is it like the Kabala or the Buddha tree of life? 

The whole going from a physical life to a spiritual life thing?  Reaching higher levels of consciousness ect? 

I read some on it in so far as how it relates to the Tarot.  I don't know much though. 

Ha!  Kind of reminds me of that scene in Conan the Barbarian staring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  With the snake cult followers. 

Athena

[topum.livejournal.com]

It is the highest level the monk can achieve (not in terms of seniority but in terms of spiritual excellence). They do have mysticism embedded in the tradition but they seem to be very careful with it and it is not their main focus.

[beautesauvage13.livejournal.com]

So they have a golden ticket to Heaven, no waiting in the purgatory room with that annoying secretary snapping her gum for a few centuries waiting on St. Peter to call their number.

Sometimes the Virgin Mary brings the angel choir down to sing some soothing music.

Shame there isn't any Jazz. Ah well.

Yes Mysticism can be tricky. Make one think they have the keys to the Porsche when all they really got is a beat up old Ford.

Athena







.

[topum.livejournal.com]

i think the consensus here is that it is very hard for them to get into heaven and they have a lower chance of getting there than someone who live a usual life. This is because they have taken n too much and if they fall they really fall. I was told that it is a very high risk / high reward strategy for getting into heaven.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Fascinating.

[topum.livejournal.com]

I also find it fascinating.