Monasticism
To leave everything for God alone — in the desert's silence or a shared house of prayer
Monasticism is the life, communal or solitary, wholly dedicated to prayer, asceticism, and seeking God. Anthony is remembered for the eremitic or solitary form, Pachomius for the cenobitic or communal form, and Benedict for his influential Rule. It is central to Catholic and Orthodox life. The magisterial Reformation largely rejected monasticism as an institution, favoring a vocation lived within ordinary society.
How it traveled
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- Aphrahat: Select DemonstrationsMosul · 345explains
- Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.)Alexandria · 373explains
- Letters of Athanasius with Two Ancient Chronicles of His LifeAlexandria · 373explains
- The LettersCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- Selections from the Letters of St. AmbroseMilan · 397explains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies on the Statues to the People of AntiochConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407applies
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and PhilemonConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Letters of St. JeromeBethlehem · 420explains
- Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious MenBethlehem · 420explains
- The Life of S. HilarionBethlehem · 420explains
- The Life of Paulus the First HermitBethlehem · 420explains
- Against VigilantiusBethlehem · 420applies
- The Life of Malchus, the Captive MonkBethlehem · 420applies
- Dialogues of Sulpitius SeverusToulouse (Aquitaine) · 425explains
- Of the Work of MonksHippo Regius · 430applies
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · 430applies
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · 430explains
- On the Morals of the Catholic ChurchHippo Regius · 430explains
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · 430explains
- The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal FaultsMarseille · 435explains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part III. Containing Conferences XVIII.-XXIVMarseille · 435explains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part I. Containing Conferences I-XMarseille · 435explains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVIIMarseille · 435explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates ScholasticusConstantinople (Istanbul) · 439explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of SozomenConstantinople (Istanbul) · 450explains
- The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of ChalcedonChalcedon · 451applies
- The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of TheodoretCyrrhus · 458explains
Key passages(20)
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
Dialogues of Sulpitius Severus · Sulpicius Severus
Dialogues of Sulpitius Severus · Sulpicius Severus
Dialogues of Sulpitius Severus · Sulpicius Severus
Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious Men · Jerome
Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo
Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Gregory the Great
Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose · Ambrose of Milan
The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great · Gregory the Great
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils