Questions & Answers

Monasticism/Monastic Life

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Church › Monasticism/Monastic Life

The question

To be a nun or a monk, must you have never had intercourse or any of that stuff right? Can a person still become a nun if they had gotten raped?

The answer

To be a nun or monk, one must live a life of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Monasticism is a life lived in the present. All sins are forgiven if repented seriously and sincerely with a contrite heart. Repentance is a life all Christians must live. A victim of rape is never to blame.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

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Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2588 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.