Also, while the Benedictine “Great Silence” or Cistercian or Carthusian levels of silence are not expected, it is best to keep conversations and noise to an absolute minimum after Compline. Depending on the monastery, the monks may get only four hours sleep between Compline and the Midnight Offiice, or at St. Anthony’s, Vigils Orthros and the Divine Liturgy, which are served at midnight; then some of the monks rest for an hour, breakfast is served only to pilgrims, and then the day begins.
Also in the Trapeza, at St. Anthonys we would stand until all the monks including Elder Ephrem, memory eternal, and the hegumen who had taken over management by 2015, Elder Paisios, who I believe is a hieroschemamonk along with blessed Elder Ephrem, had taken their places, and we would stand until Elder Ephrem sat down. There was a bell or equivalent sound to indicate when we could drink the delicious icewater, and another bell to indicate when we could begin eating. A lector would read Greek Patristic works during the meal. At the end, a bell would ring, we would all stand up, Elders Ephraim and Paisios and the monks would file out, and then the guests would exit. On the way out, the stavrophore in charge of the trapeza, who had lost part of his left leg and relied on a crutch, would request people to help clean up, and anyone who was not full and wanted “seconds”, or was not up to the full ceremony of dining with the monks, perhaps due to working in the fields, and anyone who was not Orthodox, could also eat more food at this time, because there were always substantial leftovers, both to feed heterodox and hungry guests, and because of the short time the monks allowed themselves for eating. The food while I was there in the summer was either vegetarian on fast days, or consisted of delicious seafood stews, a tomato broth filled with shellfish and sometimes, regular fish* infinitely better than even the best Manhattan clam chowder, with fresh summer figs, honeydew mellons and other appropriate items was served. Also, at all times there was a cold water cooler, and delicious Greek Delights, infinitely superior to boring Turkish Delights, in that these were flavored with fruit flavors, and in different shapes and colors, rather than plain squares covered in powdered sugar, were available on a tray in the giftstore / bookstore when it was open. You could also buy these and a vast array of Greek baked goods, in addition to related items.
It was marvelous.
The specific etiquette for dining in the trapeza or refectory will vary from monastery to monastery; at Coptic St. Anthony’s the monks dine in their own private dining room, while serving a meal to the numerous families who also sometimes bring and contribute their own food, especially Ethiopian pilgrims (its always best to go there when there are Ethiopians going, in my opinion, as Ethiopian food is lightyears better than what the monks eat). Then elderly monks come and visit their spiritual children. This is OO of course and not EO, but Coptic, Syriac and Ethiopian monasticism is extremely similar to Eastern Orthodox monasticism, since it all began in Egypt, and EO and OO monasteries all use a typikon based on the Rule of St. Pachomius and the first cenobitic monasteries in Egypt, which were organized by the Desert Fathers in response to the problems that happened with some hermits and in idiorythmic communities or sketes, so now, in pan-Orthodox monasticism, most monks are cenobitics until they have some experience, at which time they might join a skete, and only the most proficient cenobitic monks are allowed to become hermits, usually still in proximity to the monastery, as there are extreme risks associated with it. A few like St. Seraphim of Sarov become hermits after years of ascetic preparation, but striking out on your own as a hermit is not recommended, because if you think you are on a par with the likes of St. Anthony the Great, or the legendary Stylites who lived atop pillars, or St. Seraphim of Sarov, you are most probably suffering extreme prelest and should talk to your priest at once for spiritual healing.
