Plural of hermitage; secluded dwellings or religious retreats where hermits live in isolation, often in remote or natural settings.
From Old French hermitage, derived from hermite (hermit), itself from Greek erēmitēs (living in the desert). The suffix -age indicates a place or dwelling.
Medieval hermitages weren't failures of Christian society—they were consciously chosen alternatives by the most dedicated believers, who saw isolation as the ultimate spiritual power move, making them the monastic equivalent of 'dropping out to find yourself.'
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