Other editions of book The Working Life - A Medieval Monk

During the European Middle Ages, few issues, if any, occupied peoples' spirits more than the uncertainty of whether heaven or hell awaited their souls. Some spiritual men called monks focused on aiding others to achieve their path to heaven through dedication to prayer, performing charitable works, and asceticism. Working alone as hermits or grouped in monasteries, monks made remarkable contributions to European culture as scholars, artists, musicians, and educators.