St. Pachomius

• St. Pachomius was born in Upper Egypt, of pagan parents, but he hated paganism from his boyhood.
• The Roman Emperor, Maximin, ordered the prefect of Egypt to send some of the troops based in Egypt to put an end to a revolt in Ethiopia. The troops were selected, among them was Pachomius. On their way, they had to stop at Latopolis (Esna) in Upper Egypt. There, Pachomius was impressed by the love

of the natives, and he was told that Christians were merciful to all men, even to their enemies. Before reaching Ethiopia, the revolt was quelled. Back in “Chenoboskion” he was baptized (about 307) after spending some time as a catechumen.

• St. Pachomius spent three years moving among villages, help- ing the needy and the afflicted.
• He became a disciple of St. Palaemon, the hermit, who lived in Kasr-El-Sayad. Under his guidance, St. Pachomius practiced a severe order of asceticism. He was sad as many believers longed for this way of life but could not practice it.
• One day while he had wandered far in search of wood, an angel appeared to him and gave him the rules of the cenobitic order inscribed upon a brass tablet. These rules could be observed even by ordinary Christians.
• St. Palaemon who was very pleased, saying that it was God’s will that a monastery would be established with this order, blessed him, helped him to build a little lodge then went back to his own place, declaring his sincere desire to help him in establishing this new order.
• By 315 St. Pachomius had a small group of disciples, who would eventually number in the thousands. When Tabennesis proved too small for the growing number of monks, St. Pachomius found it necessary to start other communities, beginning at nearby Phbow.
• St. Pachomius preferred to invite priests of the neighboring churches to celebrate the liturgies of Eucharist so that no monk would seek ordination. Even if a priest wished to be a monk he did not perform the priestly duties.
• As a military man, St. Pachomius was firm, but he obeyed the rules more than he gave orders to others.
• St. Pachomius was granted by grace to heal the sick, exorcise evil spirits, prophesy, see visions, know the secrets of the monks, and see the souls of the departed rising to Paradise.

St. Pachomius’ Rule in the World

• St. Pachomius’ Rule was the prototype of eastern and western monastic rules. Originally in Coptic, it was translated into Greek, then Latin, by St. Jerome in 404-5. St. Basil used it. It influenced the “Regula Vigilli (Gaul 5th century) and the “Regula Tarnatensis” (6th or 7th century). Benedict and Caesarius of Arles knew it.
• It played a large part in the spread of coenobitism in Ethiopia, Rome, Palestine, Asia Minor and Gaul.
• St. Pachomius said, Let us weep for ourselves whilst we still have the time, so that when our departure cometh nigh we may not be found asking God for more time wherein to repent. A wretched thing is that soul, and greatly to be blamed, which hath left the world, but which had not dedicated itself to God, and which had not lived worthily of its promise. Let us not then, O my brethren, allow this world, which is a small and contemptible thing, and which resembleth a fleeting shadow, to steal away from us blessed and immortal life.

Pachomian Rules Palladius refers to the rules that were inscribed upon a brass tablet:

• Each man to eat and drink according to his strength.
• Let three dwell in each cell.
• Let them wear at night linen” lebitons (a

sleeveless garment) and a girdle.

• The whole community was to be divided into 24 sections, each of which was to be distinguished by one of the letters of the Greek alphabet, so that each might have a cognomen fitting to the grade of his conduct and habit.
• A stranger of another monastery which has a different rule is not to eat with them, nor drink, nor enter into the monastery, unless he happens to be on a (genuine) journey. Other Pachomian Rules
• The neophyte remained for a probationary period from one to three years, in which he had to prove the seriousness of his intention before acceptance.
• Food was offered twice a day, at noon and at night.
• Work was compulsory even for the abbots of the monasteries.
• They prayed together thrice a day: in the morning, at noon, and at night.
• Monks lived in common with no private property and avoided contact with women.
• St. Pachomius stressed obedience as essential to the cenobitic life.
• Every monastery had its local administration subjected to the local abbot, who had an assistant, store-man and librarian. Also foreigners had their own supervisor of their own nationality.
• Every three or four monasteries lying near to one another were united in a clan, with a president elected from among their abbots, and the monks met periodically to discuss their local problems. The clans were united under a superior-general, who was head of the principal monastery.

• The central administration was held in the chief monastery in Tabennesi, and then transferred to Phbow.
• Supervision of other monasteries took two forms: a. The visit of the superior-general to the monasteries. b. Two general assembles were held yearly in the chief monastery.
• Sick monks and visitors were subject to certain rules.
• Monks were to keep away from contact with the world, although they were allowed to visit a sick parent or attend a funeral if accompanied by a companion. Some monks were allowed to sell the products of the monastery in the town and sometimes went all the way to Alexandria by boat.