The First Abbot

Who first invented Christian monasticism? You could make a pretty strong argument for this guy.

Meet Saint Pachomius, who appears on several Benedictine Martyrologies for this day.

Pachomius was born about the year 292 in Egypt. He was drafted into the Roman army, where he first came in contact with Christians who were ministering to the troops.

After his stint, he returned home and converted. He eventually became one of the Desert Fathers, hermits who went out into the wilderness seeking a closer life with God.

Here is an excerpt from his hagiography:

Tradition tells us that he was visiting Tabennisi on the banks of the Nile River. It was a vast uninhabited desert area, and he had a vision in which he was told to build a monastery and how to live the religious life. …

The first disciple to join Pachomius was his eldest brother John. Many more disciples came and in a short period of time the community numbered over one hundred. Thus was born the first cenobium or monastery which lived the communal life. The cenobium was seen as an answer to the many dangers both physically and spiritually which plagued the desert solitary.

Following the example of the early Christian Church, the monks developed a system of complete common ownership of goods. They did manual labor so as to to procure the material needs of the monastery. Each monastery was organized under a superior and the monks promised obedience to him. The monks met together for common prayer and meals.

His monks in their love for him called him “abba”, Father. To this day, the spiritual father of any major monastery is its Abbot.

By the time of his death in 348, Saint Pachomius had founded nine monasteries, and about three thousand monks followed this new way of life.

His contemporary, Saint Anthony the Great, is generally credited with popularizing the monastic way of life, but it was Saint Pachomius who first gathered the brothers together.

O God, Who raised the blessed abbot Pachomius
to the heights of doctrine and of virtue,
grant that we, by following his example,
may seek before all else the bread of your Word
by which our minds are illumined and our hearts quieted.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.