The term cloister , derived from the Latin word clausūra , can refer to the obligation that certain religious undertake not to leave an area and that also prevents lay people from entering it. By extension, the idea refers to the place where this practice takes place and the type of life of those who submit to these restrictions.
Closure, in this framework, implies a regime of isolation . Cloistered nuns and monks do not leave the convent or monastery, and in turn prevent people who are not part of their order from entering the establishments.
The objective of the closure is to achieve the right climate to get closer to God , focusing on prayer and meditation . It can be said that cloistered religious intercede between people and divinities through prayer and meditation.
The Discalced Carmelites , Benedictine monks and Trappists are some of the religious communities that, even today, live in cloistered regimes. This does not prevent them from having a certain contact with the rest of society in certain areas and contexts.
As in any community, people who live in cloistered monasteries must follow a series of rules . In the following paragraphs we will point out some of the most common, taking as reference the female monasteries in Spain, which account for around a quarter of the total worldwide.
Broadly speaking, we can say that the life of the cloistered nuns is more austere and difficult than that of the rest of the women, at least the lay women, since they dedicate themselves completely to prayer and contemplation, just like the Poor Clares. and the aforementioned Carmelites.
It is undeniable that closure implies being separated from the rest of the people, separated from the world, although this is carried out with the purpose of approaching it through the spiritual plane. In this framework, it is important to note that surrender to the authority of a monastery should never interfere negatively with the civil status of religious people, which is why superiors must guarantee them a life compatible with the needs of the outside world.
This brings us to the question that many people ask regarding cloistered nuns and monks: can they leave the convent whenever they want? Well, the answer is that they are free to make this decision as long as they agree with their superiors. Going a little deeper into the rules established by the Vatican, however, it is the mother superior who can authorize or reject entries and exits.
Some common situations in which cloistered nuns leave monasteries are medical appointments and government elections. Regarding the cessation of their commitment to the vow of silence and life in cloister, they have the right to do so whenever and however they wish.
The act that is carried out to end an event or that establishes the closure of something is also called closing. For example: "The closing ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place next Sunday" , "Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the closing of the symposium as I have other commitments" , "The authorities decided to close the restaurant for food safety reasons" .
Another use of the notion of closure appears in the field of sport . In several Latin American countries, a football championship season is divided into two tournaments: the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura . Beyond what the name suggests, the Clausura Tournament sometimes takes place at the beginning of the calendar year.