A
mendicant (from , "begging") is one who practises
mendicancy (
begging) and relies chiefly or exclusively on
charitable donations to survive. In principle,
mendicant religious orders do not own property, either individually or collectively, and members have taken a
vow of poverty, in order that all their time and energy could be expended on practicing or preaching and serving the poor. It is a form of
asceticism.