Young men have been asked to sacrifice social media for a weekend in order to sample the peaceful existence of a monk.
Members of the Benedictine order who live at Pluscarden Abbey will share their way of life with guests this summer during a “monastic experience weekend”.
To help keep a reflective atmosphere, participants have been asked to abandon Facebook and Twitter during their stay.
Father Benedict Hardy is organising the activities, which will involve the men getting up each day at 4.30am.
He said: “The guests won’t have their mobile phones, as they will live our way of life at the abbey.
“They will work and eat with us, and learn to look at life in a different way.”
The weekend is aimed at single Catholic men aged 18-35, but Father Benedict stressed that the event is not a “hard sell” designed to increase the order’s ranks.
And he explained that the set criteria is not strictly enforced, as non-Catholics and men older than 35 have previously taken part.
“If they turn up, they can take part and hopefully get something of interest out of the weekend”, he added.
Roughly a dozen guests will arrive at the abbey on Friday, August 18, where they will be given rooms and talked through the activities planned.
Father Benedict added: “This has become an annual tradition over the past few years, and we have had people join us from Malta, Finland and all over the UK.
“We usually have about 10 participants, some have actually become monks and others have gone on to other vocations in the church.
“People have always found it a positive experience, it can deepen their faith.”
Among his range of duties, Father Benedict looks after the abbey’s beehives.
Guests are unlikely to help out with that endeavour, as it requires special training, but will mainly work outdoors.
The monk added: “The weekend is enjoyable, but it is serious and there is no free time.”
The abbey, which is six miles west of Elgin, was founded in 1230 and is the oldest medieval monastery in Scotland still being used for its original purpose.
The “monastic experience weekend” is free of charge, and people can register their interest by emailing novicemaster@pluscardenabbey.org
