Understanding Great Schema Monks

Alright, I keep hearing about “Great Schema monks,” but I seriously don’t get it.

What makes them so special? Okay, so Great Schema monks are the highest

level of monastic life in Eastern Orthodoxy. It’s not just a rank—it's a whole

way of life built around extreme dedication to prayer and spiritual struggle. Extreme how?

Like what do they actually do? They live almost entirely for prayer. We’re talking long

prayer rules, night vigils, fasting, silence, and often isolation.

Their whole day is structured around transforming their inner life. Wait—why silence

though? Because silence helps them focus on what’s called the Jesus Prayer: