>>Monks were regularly assigned to read here, while their brethern ate
>>in silence (presumably the same happened in houses of nuns, but I
>>have not seen any direct evidence of this).
>
>The same thing definately occured in nuns' houses.
Not so much of the past tense! The practice continues to this day in
monastic houses, both male and female. Fr Anselm will inform us of the
chapter in which it is enjoined in the Rule of St Benedict. Actually the
custom is wider than simply Benedictine: I have heard it done in Greek
Orthodox monasteries.
Bill.
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