Secular duties performed by orthodox Christian monasteries in the early Rus

Orthodox Christian monasteries being an important institutional form of monasticism, once emerged had experienced the process of expansion at the period of Early Russ. Feudal princes were main investors, and monks originally belonged mostly to aristocracy. A monastery was located either in the city or in the vicinity of the city that made it impossible for monasteries to escape from the secular life. Monasteries tried to take their part in politics and social and cultural life and perform other secular functions, serving for the kingship and sharing concerns for the kingship.