Heroes of The Desert PDF

A
NOW YOU KNOW MEDIA

STUDY GUIDE
Heroes of the Desert: The

Lives and Teachings of the
Desert Fathers and Mothers
Presented by Father Philip G. Bochanski, C.O., M.A.
HEROES OF THE DESERT STUDY GUIDE
Now You Know Media Copyright Notice:

This document is protected by copyright law. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You
are permitted to view, copy, print, and distribute this document (up to seven
copies), subject to your agreement that: Your use of the information is for
informational, personal, and noncommercial purposes only. You will not modify
the documents or graphics. You will not copy or distribute graphics separate
from their accompanying text and you will not quote materials out of their
context. You agree that Now You Know Media may revoke this permission at
any time and you shall immediately stop your activities related to this
permission upon notice from Now You Know Media.
WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 2

Table of Contents
Program Summary ............................................................................................................... 5

About Your Presenter ........................................................................................................... 6
Part I: Alone with God Alone ........................................................................................... 7
Topic 1: Why the Desert? .............................................................................................. 8
Topic 2: The Development of Monasticism ................................................................ 12
Topic 3: Daily Life in the Desert ................................................................................. 16
Part II: Saint Antony the Great ...................................................................................... 20
Topic 4: The Life of Antony ........................................................................................ 21
Topic 5: Father of Monks ............................................................................................ 25
Topic 6: The Wisdom of Anthony ............................................................................... 29
Part III: A Garden in the Wilderness ........................................................................... 33
Topic 7: The Words of the Fathers .............................................................................. 34
Topic 8: Saint Arsenius and Saint Macarius ................................................................ 38
Topic 9: Saint John and Saint Poemon ........................................................................ 43
Part IV: Saint Syncletica and the Desert Ammas ........................................................ 48
Topic 10: The Mothers of the Desert ............................................................................. 49
Topic 11: Saint Syncletica’s Advice for Beginners ....................................................... 53
Topic 12: Saint Syncletica’s Wisdom for Life’s Journey .............................................. 57
Part V: Finding Healing in the Desert ........................................................................... 60
Topic 13: Saint Mary of Egypt: Into the Desert ............................................................ 61

Topic 14: Desert Conversions: Saint Mary of Egypt and Saint Moses the Ethiopian .. 65
Topic 15: Saint Moses of Ethiopia: The Convert’s Wisdom ......................................... 69
For Further Reading ........................................................................................................... 72

Program Summary
Discover the timeless wisdom of our spiritual ancestors.
Beginning in the 3rd century AD, pious men and women journeyed into the
Egyptian desert, where they sought to be “alone with God alone.” Known as the
Desert Fathers and Mothers, they pursued lives of solitude and prayer in order to
make complete offerings of themselves to God. In doing so, they acquired great
insight into the spiritual life, which has been passed down to us in the Sayings of
the Desert Fathers, a timeless collection of profound wisdom.
Now, you can discover the fascinating lives and works of our spiritual
forefathers. Join Father Bochanski in exploring the lives of such awe-inspiring
figures as St. Antony the Great and St. Mary of Egypt. Through 15 video or
audio lectures, you will journey into the ascetic world of the desert—a world
that has much to teach us about our own time.
The greatest and wisest of these desert monks and nuns were recognized as
abbas (“fathers”) and ammas (“mothers”), and their life stories have inspired
countless men and women through the ages. You will begin by looking at an
overview of the purpose and method of their lives before considering how their
teachings can be applied to your spiritual life today.
Like the monks themselves, the teachings of the desert are characterized by
their simplicity, practicality, and timelessness. Although they were developed
amid circumstances quite different from modern urban life, you will find them
readily adaptable and applicable to your daily circumstances. Most importantly,
getting to know the Desert Fathers and Mothers will show the power of God at
work in the lives of ordinary people who trustingly hand their lives over to Him.
In his foundational book, The Lausiac History, Palladius wrote, “Seek for
meetings with holy men and women so that you may see clearly your own
heart.… The grace of their thoughts will increase your strength.” By looking at
the heroic examples of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, you will gain invaluable
insight into your own spiritual journey.

About Your Presenter
Father Philip G. Bochanski is a Catholic priest and a member of the

Philadelphia Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. He received his
M.A. in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Father Bochanski has
published several books and articles on spirituality and history and serves as a
peer reviewer for the Linacre Quarterly, the journal of the Catholic Medical
Association. He is the co-author and editor of Our Faith-Filled Heritage: The
Church of Philadelphia Bicentennial as a Diocese and The Wonderful Works of
God: A Sesquicentennial History of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany.
Throughout his priestly ministry, Father Bochanski has been active in the
work of adult faith formation. He is a frequent presenter of lectures and courses
at the parish and archdiocesan levels, including a course on the Church Fathers.
He presently serves as Chaplain to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters in
Philadelphia, to the Philadelphia Guild of the Catholic Medical Association, and
to the Philadelphia chapter of the Courage Apostolate.

Part I:
Alone with God Alone

Topic 1: Why the Desert?

I. Throughout the Scriptures, the Desert is intimately connected with the history and
identity of the People of God.
A. During the Exodus event, the Israelites spent forty years in the desert.
1. God led them out of Egypt, rescuing them from slavery.
2. He protected them there from their enemies.
3. He sustained them and fed them in miraculous ways.
4. He led them, through winding paths, to the Promised Land.
B. The wandering of the Israelites was a time of testing and discipline, which proved God’s
closeness to his people and his love for them (cf. Deuteronomy 8:5-6).
C. Moses insisted that this desert experience was necessary so that the Israelites would realize and
remember their dependence on God (cf. Deuteronomy 8:15-17).
D. The prophets called the Israelites to return to their Covenant relationship with the Lord. Some of
them use desert imagery, particularly Hosea (cf. 2:16-22).
E. When John the Baptist comes to call the people to repentance, he makes his appearance in the
desert of Judea, as Isaiah had foretold (cf. Mark 1:4-6, etc.).
F. After his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus himself spends forty days in the Judean desert (Luke 4:1-
14 and parallels).
1. He fasts and prays, and is tempted by Satan.
2. This is interpreted as a sign of his solidarity with the human race and as his giving us an
example to follow in times of temptation.
3. The desert is confirmed as a place of testing, of closeness with God, and of victory, through
Christ, over the power of the Evil One.
II. Several historical landmarks set the scene for the age of the Desert Monks
A. The “Golden Age” of desert monasticism runs from the foundation of Antony’s monastery,
around 305, to the attacks on the monks at Scetis, around 407-08.
B. Important changes were happening in the world and in the Church at the time.
1. The experience of persecution
a. Under the emperors Decius and Valerian (250–57), and again under Diocletian (302–05),
persecution and execution of Christians was widespread in the Empire.

b. Some Christians—like Saint Paul “the First Hermit”—left the cities in early days to avoid
the persecutors and took refuge in the desert, whether in monasteries or in caves and
hermitages.
c. This would become an issue again from time to time, especially at the beginning of the
fifth century with barbarian invasions.
d. Under the emperor Constantine, Christianity was officially tolerated (313) and
persecutions ceased. From this point, many Christians went to the desert, not to avoid
suffering, but to seek out an alternative way to make a “real” offering of themselves for
Christ—a “living” martyrdom, so to speak.
2. The rise of Christological heresies
a. As the faith spread, various misunderstandings took hold in certain areas over certain
aspects of Church teaching on the Incarnation of Christ—that is, how it is that Jesus
Christ is truly God and Man.
b. These misunderstandings developed into controversies that sometimes had political
overtones as well. Those who held the true faith in opposition to an emperor or local
governor who was a heretic could be exiled or persecuted. They sometimes sought refuge
among the monks.
c. A series of Ecumenical Councils met, beginning in A.D. 325 at Nicea, to address these
heresies and develop the authentic teaching of the Church. It would take several
centuries—and much theological and pastoral work—for the teaching of the Councils to
take hold.
3. The development of monasteries
a. At first, monks lived in isolation, alone or in small groups.
b. Beginning with Saint Pachomius in Tabennesi around the year 320, they began to
organize more structured communities, with numerous buildings and walls.
c. These could house several hundred or even thousands of monks safely. They attracted
monks and nuns in great numbers.
III. The Battle against the Self

A. Once the battle against the persecutors was over, the desert monk was left to fight a different
kind of battle.
B. The spiritual battle against the passions—becomes a new kind of martyrdom
1. This is nothing new: since the Original Sin, human history is a story of combat between good
and evil.
2. The passions—one’s emotional responses and desires—are not immoral in themselves, but
often lead to evil thoughts and acts.

3. The spiritual “athlete” fights against the passions before they can do him harm
IV. The desert monks developed a new vocabulary to describe this spiritual battle:
A. Ascēsis (ἄσκησις): “exercise” or training in holiness through self-discipline
B. Athlētēs (ἀθλητης): a monk saw himself as an “athlete” who wrestled with his desires and
temptations to master them in hand-to-hand combat
C. Mortification (mors, mortis = “dead”; facere = “to make”): putting the desires of the flesh to
death through voluntary sacrifice

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What did the desert mean for God’s people in biblical times? How does this compare to the desert
experience in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D.?
2. Are there aspects of the desert that would remain valuable for us today? How can we seek them out, amid
the conditions of urban/suburban/modern life in the 21st century?
3. Compare the external battle against persecutors with the internal battle against the self. Which, do you
think, requires more strength and courage? Why?

Topic 2: The Development of Monasticism

I. For the desert monks, the spiritual battle most characteristically takes the form of
flight from the world.
A. Silence and distance allow the monk to live with God alone.
B. They saw going into the desert as truly a death to the world and to the things of the world.
C. As radical as this may seem to us, from the perspective of heaven, it is a small sacrifice in
comparison to the eternal reward that awaits them.
II. Where are they going when they leave the world?
A. Many monasteries were in Egypt
1. The capital, Alexandria, was on the coast, at the Nile delta.
2. Antony’s birthplace and first monastery (Pispir, the Outer Mountain) were about 100 miles
south
3. Closer to Alexandria were “second generation” monks, who had been disciples of Antony
and then founded their own monasteries:
a. Nitria—where there were mines for natron, an important mineral
b. Scetis—also known as Skete, which became a generic word for a loosely-organized
monastery
4. About 300 miles south of Alexandria in Upper Egypt (called this because the Nile flows
south to north) was Tabennesi, where Pachomius and his sister founded their monasteries.
B. Later, famous monasteries would be founded in other places:
1. Mount Sinai
2. Palestine, especially near Bethlehem and Jerusalem
3. Syria
III. The Monastic Vocabulary

A. Monos (μόνος) = alone, single, one
B. Monachos (μοναχός) = one who lives alone, a monk
C. Monē (μονή) = a place to live alone, a monastery

IV. This vocabulary may be confusing to us, because we often think of a monastery as a
place to house many monks. In fact, there were various ways to live as a desert monk:
A. In a cell (κέλλα), that is, a small chamber or enclosure
1. This is the same root word from which we derive our jail “cell”—though this was a cell for
setting someone free.
2. It could take several forms
a. A hut or shack on the outskirts of a town
b. An abandoned cemetery vault or mausoleum
c. A natural cave or grotto
d. A small purpose-built structure made by the monk himself
3. A monk could live alone, or several monks could find or build cells close enough to one
another to come together for prayer and spiritual conversation, but distant enough to provide
privacy and solitude.
B. In a hermitage (ἐρήμος), a solitary cave or cell located at a great distance from anyone, often in
the deep desert
1. Some hermits lived for decades without any human contact.
2. Some reported mystical visions and miraculous provisions of food and the sacraments.
3. The stylites didn’t go out, but up—they constructed pillars, sometimes 45 feet high or more,
and lived at the top of them for years at a time.
C. A laura (λαύρα)—the Greek word for “alley”—consisted of a number of cells built close
together.
1. These were just niches at first, dug into the side of a cliff or hill and just big enough for
shelter.
2. As time went on they became more elaborate and organized.
3. St. Pachomius began life in an arrangement like this, and was inspired by God to develop a
new kind of desert living:
D. The coenobium (κοινόβιον, from κοινός, “together”, + βίος, “life”)—what we would recognize
today as a monastery, a group of buildings including dormitories, a central church and refectory
(dining hall) and other common areas
1. It was usually walled for protection against intrusion and for privacy.
2. Each dormitory slept about forty brothers, and there could be 30 or 40 houses in a large
monastery—making 1,200 or 1,600 members in a large coenobitic community.

3. The monasteries had a common rule, written by their founder, and were often grouped
together under a regional superior. In Upper Egypt, this man was responsible for the
supervision of about 50,000 monks at the time of Saint Jerome in the early fifth century.
V. Why did the coenobitic life develop?

A. For Pachomius, it was a personal call from the Lord, after he had led an eremitical life for a time.
He grew to appreciate the importance of the common life, and felt called to share it with others.
B. Other desert monks likewise identify a particular benefit to living with others:
C. Even in the solitude of the desert, a monk still brings himself along with him.
D. This means that the very basic human temptations to pride, envy, anger, selfishness, etc., must
always be fought and conquered.
E. The best way to do this, the monks believed, was through contact with other people, which
provided daily opportunities to practice humility and charity.
F. Either a monk would learn to be patient, or he would run away because he couldn’t take it, and
learn his weakness.
G. Life in community provides the discipline to keep the self in check.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Compare the different forms of monastic life. What do they all have in common? Is there a logical
progression from one to another?
2. Do you think you could live like the hermits, separated from all human contact for 30 or 40 years or
more? Why or why not? What is the value of a sacrifice like this?
3. What are the similarities between life in a coenobitic monastery and life in a modern family, or a house
with roommates? Can we apply lessons from the desert monasteries to modern life?

Topic 3: Daily Life in the Desert

I. Someone who wished to become a monk was not automatically received into the
monastery.
A. He demonstrated perseverance by being made to wait a few days—sometimes a few weeks!—at
the door or gate of the monastery.
1. The porter would question him to discover:
a. His family and personal history
b. His intentions and his readiness
B. The important thing was that he be able to be detached from the world.
1. This is an obligation for every disciple: possessions must come second to our relationship
with Christ.
2. Some are called personally to radical poverty as a way to pursue perfect love of God and
neighbor.
C. This detachment is demonstrated when he is admitted by his being stripped of his worldly
possessions, including his clothing.
1. His things are kept for a while, in case he does not persevere. Then they are given away to
the poor.
2. He is dressed in the common clothing of the monastery (St Jerome):
a. The lebitonarion, an Egyptian tunic without sleeves, which were seen as a sign of
worldliness
b. A linen mantle
c. Two hoods, which were the common dress of children, and may have been a sign of
humility—they also provided privacy and eliminated distractions during prayer
d. A linen belt
e. A goat skin
f. Shoes and a staff, used only for journeys when necessary
3. Other than these clothes, a mat, and the tools they needed for working, the monks had no
possessions in the monastery.

II. The monks had to be trained to renounce their own wills and trust in the advice of their
spiritual fathers or mothers.
A. They never did any activity in or out of the monastery without permission
B. They were taught to reveal their thoughts and temptations in a special relationship with the
spiritual father (abba — ) or mother (amma — ).
1. This was a deep relationship based on honesty and openness.
2. The best way to overcome the devil is to submit in humility to the abba.
3. Once the monk was able to share a burden with the abba, the devil lost his power over the
monk. He no longer had to fight the temptation alone.
C. A similar relationship exists today in what is commonly called spiritual direction.
D. The abbas all had abbas of their own, and handed on the wisdom acquired over many
generations.
III. Basic rules for daily life kept the monk focused on God
A. He worked quietly at manual labor, including plaiting leaves to make baskets and mats.
B. He did not speak in the cell, but meditated on the words of the abbas and his superiors.
C. No one ate during the day, and they did not sleep except at fixed hours. They never stretched out
to sleep, but had little seats on which to recline.
D. The monks gathered at regular hours for prayer and meditation on the Scripture.
1. Everyone had to be able to read, so as to be able to pray with Scripture, and especially to
memorize the psalms.
2. The synaxis was the common liturgical prayer on Saturday and Sunday, which included the
celebration of the Eucharist.
3. They continued prayers throughout the night, doing work to keep awake until dawn.
E. Constant prayer and watchfulness was joined with abstinence and fasting.
1. No one ate until 3:00 p.m., and usually ate only once a day.
2. The old or the inexperienced might take a second meal; others ate only every few days.
3. Usually everyone ate at a common table, though some were allowed to take bread and water
in their cells.
IV. This strict asceticism was not for its own sake.
A. The strict rule of fasting gave way to the rule of hospitality.

B. External penances had a deeper meaning.

1. Everything was done for the sake of purity of heart, to remove spiritual attachments and
obstacles.
2. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes, this is the necessary condition for seeing and loving God.
C. As amazing as the monks’ asceticism was, even more edifying is their deep love of God, and the
gifts they received from Him because of their purity of heart.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How did the dress of the monks express their detachment from material things? How can we translate this
ideal in modern circumstances?
2. Do you think it was easy for the young monks and nuns to converse with the abbas/ammas about their
struggles and temptations? What makes a relationship such as this possible and fruitful?
3. What was the ultimate purpose of the ascetical practices of the desert monks? How did their external
works relate to their internal dispositions?

Part II:
Saint Antony the Great

Topic 4: The Life of Antony

I. Much of our knowledge of this great saint come from the Life of Saint Antony, written
by Saint Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, around the time of Antony’s death in
A.D. 356.
A. It had a great impact on many other saints, notably playing a role in the conversion of Saint
Augustine.
B. It became a model for writing saintly biographies in the Christian tradition.
II. Antony was born near Herakleopolis Magna in A.D. 251.

A. This was in central Egypt, about 40 miles south of Alexandria along the Nile River.
B. He would have been close enough to visit Alexandria from time to time, and to be influenced by
the style of preaching of Origen and his school.
III. His parents we well-to-do Christians, who owned some property.

A. They raised Antony and his younger sister in the faith.
B. He did not like formal schooling, and attended very little. It is unclear if he ever learned to read
and write.
C. He was, however, very attentive at the liturgy, and had a deep love for prayer and meditation. He
learned much of the Scripture by heart.
D. When Antony was 18 or 20, his parents died, leaving him in charge of his sister and of the family
estate.
IV. About six months later, he was going to church for the liturgy, and entered as the
Gospel was being read.
A. The text for the day was Matthew 19:21—“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
1. Like the young man in the Gospel to whom Jesus was speaking, Antony took these words as
being addressed directly to him.
2. Upon returning home, he gave away almost all he had, keeping only enough for him and his
sister to live on.
B. On a later occasion, he went back to church and heard another Gospel, Matthew 6:34—“Do not
worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.”
1. Now he sold his house and all his remaining possessions, giving the money to the poor.

2. He entrusted his sister to a community of holy women—probably not what we would

recognize as a “convent,” but a group of widows.
a. Detached from possessions and responsibilities, he was free to dedicate himself to living
for God alone, and to learning the ascetic life.
V. He started this on the outskirts of his own town.

A. There were old men living a solitary life in huts at the crossroads, or caves in remote areas.
1. Antony would seek them out and try to discover what aspect of asceticism each one was
particularly expert in.
2. He then tried to incorporate the lessons he learned from each holy man and make them all his
own.
B. After a time, he moved to an abandoned crypt in the cemetery, for greater solitude.
1. On the way there, he experienced many temptations to turn back and give up his plans.
a. To worry about his sister and whether she were well
b. To return home to care for the extended family and the estate
c. To pick up money lying by the side of the road
d. To give in to physical lusts—the devil appears in various tempting forms
2. Each time he is tempted, Antony responds with greater mortification and asceticism, and
reminds himself how far he still has to go.
C. Once he arrived at the tombs, his encounters with demons became more intense.
1. He struggled bravely for several days, confronting the demons with prayers and taunts, even
as they attacked him physically.
2. Eventually rescued by a vision of the Lord, who appeared in a bright cloud and scattered the
demons.
3. He challenged the Lord, asking why He did not appear sooner. Christ responded that He
allowed the temptations to go on to strengthen and test Antony, but that He had never left
him alone.
VI. He soon departed the town and the tombs, and went to Mount Pispir (later known as
the “Outer Mountain”)
A. He found an abandoned military fort, which provided shelter.
B. His friends and people seeking his advice would not give him peace.

C. Eventually he barricaded himself in the fort in order to achieve complete solitude.

D. After pleading with him, to no avail, his friends eventually broke down the door.
1. By this time, Antony had been in the fort for 20 years, and was 56 years old.
2. He had been living on a tiny amount of food brought to him by travelling merchants once or
twice a year.
3. His friends expected to see him emaciated and wasted away.
4. Instead, Athanasius says, he emerged “as from a shrine”—he looked stronger and healthier
than ever, radiant with grace and holiness.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How did Antony see God at work in his life? What difference did this make in Antony’s ability to trust
the Lord and to follow Him?
2. What, do you think, was the source of Antony’s strength against temptations? Was this something unique
to him, or can anyone learn and develop such endurance?
3. How did Antony spend those twenty years during which he was barricaded in the fort at Mount Pispir?
What impact did this have on his spiritual life? What lesson(s) can this teach us, as we strive to grow in
holiness and a relationship with God?

Topic 5: Father of Monks

I. When Antony emerged from the fort at Mount Pispir, there were many people there.
A. His friends had come out to see what had happened to him.
B. Many others had heard about the “holy man” living in solitude.
C. A number of men from this group decided to stay there … to live near him and become monks
following his example.
II. This was not a proper “monastery”, as we have seen, but a collection of “cells” at a
distance from one another, around Antony’s dwelling.
A. Athanasius says that the desert was soon “colonized by monks” who were attracted by Antony’s
example.
B. He guided them by his own example, and by exhortations, both individually and in groups.
C. A large portion of the Life of Antony contains his teaching to his fellow monks, as we shall see
later.
III. Around the year 311, a persecution of Christians broke out, under the emperor
Maximinus Daia.
A. The patriarch Peter of Alexandria was killed, along with many others.
B. When Antony heard of this, he and many of his monks made the journey to the city (about 150
miles) to encourage those facing persecution.
1. At this point Antony was about 60 years old.
2. He was willing to die for the faith, but he did not seek it out.
C. A large crowd gathered to support those on trial; the judge ordered all the monks out of the court,
insisting that they were not fit for the dignity of the emperor’s halls.
D. Antony went home, washed his clothes and his body, and came back to sit in the front row. His
personal appearance and dignity were such that no one dared confront him. His presence brought
great strength to the martyrs.
IV. Upon his return from Alexandria, Antony sought greater solitude.
A. At first he thought he would take a boat to the Thebaid (Upper/southern Egypt) and live
unknown in a large monastery.
B. He heard a voice telling him to join a caravan heading east. After a three-day journey (about 70
miles) he came to the “Inner Mountain,” near the coast.

C. He remained here for the rest of his life.

D. Eventually, of course, people found the holy man even at the Inner Mountain, and sought him
out for prayers and advice.
1. He worked many miracles here, always attributing the healing power to God and not to his
own prayers or actions.
2. He gave counsel to those who came to him, sometimes answering questions with the help of
heavenly messages.
V. He only left the Inner Mountain on two occasions:

A. Once (in 338) to visit Alexandria again, at the request of Patriarch Athanasius.
1. The Arian heresy, which denied the real divinity of Jesus Christ, had been addressed by the
Council of Nicea (325), but various political and theological controversies prevented the
orthodox teaching from taking hold.
2. Although Antony had little formal education, his holiness and wisdom gave impact to his
words on behalf of the true faith.
B. In 341 (when he was about 90), he received a vision telling him to seek out Saint Paul of Thebes.
The story was recorded by Saint Jerome.
1. He had been thinking that perhaps he was as wonderful as people were saying he was.
2. God wanted to show him someone who had been in the desert even longer than Antony—
Saint Paul, “the first hermit.”
a. Paul had fled to the desert to escape persecution as a young man.
b. Finding a natural “atrium” with a spring and a palm tree, he lived in total isolation for
nearly a century before Antony arrived.
3. After a three-day journey, Antony came upon Paul’s hermitage, and spent the day conversing
and praying with him. A series of miraculous incidents marked the encounter and the
journeys there and back again.
4. Antony left impressed with Paul’s virtues.
VI. Antony died at the Inner Mountain in A.D. 356, at the age of 105. His Life by Saint
Athanasius appeared the following year.
VII. This is the most important of several sources that we have for the teaching of Saint
Antony:
A. The Life of Saint Antony by Saint Athanasius
1. Its 90 chapters teach by example.

2. A quarter of these chapters (16–43) comprise “Antony’s Address to the Monks,” a record of
a discourse that he gave one day at the Outer Mountain.
3. A significant portion of this Address deals with the demons and their strategies.
B. Seven letters from Saint Antony to his fellow monks, living in the areas surrounding the Outer
Mountain.
1. These may have been dictated, or written in Antony’s own hand.
2. They deal mostly with the common life and fraternal charity.
C. Thirty-five sayings in alphabetical collection of the Apophthegmata Patrum, and others
throughout the anonymous collection

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why do you think so many people were attracted to follow Antony’s example, and came to live in the
desert? Would he have the same kind of impact if he were living today?
2. Do you think it was selfish of Antony to want to go farther into the desert, and to flee to the Inner
Mountain? Why or why not? How was this a part of his vocation?
3. What was the source of Antony’s wisdom, both practical and theological? Why does Athanasius make a
point of telling us that Antony did not have a formal education?

Topic 6: The Wisdom of Anthony

I. In his Address to the Monks, Antony provides a basic plan of life.
A. Antony’s program for purification rests on some basic principles (cf. Life, 14-20):
1. Life is short in comparison to heaven.
2. We must not grow weary doing what is right.
3. We must not think that we are doing some great thing.
4. We must not grow careless in the Lord’s service.
5. There is no turning back—we must not regret what we left behind.
B. “The accomplishment is within us if we have the will,” he says. This does not deny the reality of
sin, but puts the project in its proper perspective.
C. It is built on the characteristic ideal of the Egyptian Christian mindset that is also found in the
preaching of Origen:
1. The spiritual life is not a reinvention of the wheel, not an effort to make up a whole spiritual
program from scratch.
2. Rather, the image of God is present in every person, however much sin has marred, distorted
or covered it up.
3. The ascetic life is a renewal and restoration of this image of God, which can never be
eradicated—a process of purification.
D. The process of purification follows several steps:
1. The whole body is purified by ascesis:
a. The eyes, to see rightly
b. The ears, to hear peaceful things
c. The tongue, to speak kindly
d. The hands, to perform works of charity and worship
e. The stomach, by fasting and sacrifice
f. The feet, by going where needed to minister to others
2. The soul is purified by repentance and remembrance of past sins, which eliminates the desire
to judge others.
3. This gives a taste of the Resurrection: we begin to live the life of heaven in this world.

4. God takes pity on the soul dedicated to repentance and gives a person the strength to
accomplish the necessary tasks.
II. “We have enemies, powerful and crafty—the wicked demons.”

A. A significant part of Antony’s address is devoted to warnings against the tricks of the demons,
and explanations of their strategies.
B. As we have seen, he is speaking from long, personal experience.
C. He gives an overview of the way the demons operate:
1. They are great in number, of diverse kinds.
2. They do not want us to take the place from which they fell.
3. They have a general plan of attack:
a. They place stumbling blocks with evil thoughts.
b. They try to intimidate us by exaggerating their size and strength.
c. They may incite us to prayer, trying to get us to take on immoderate levels of devotion so
that we despair when it becomes difficult.
D. Antony encourages his monks to be on their guard, but not to be overly fearful:
1. The Enemy has no power except what God permits to him.
2. We should pay no attention to the wonders the demons can perform. They cannot even
prevent Antony speaking against them, after all.
3. Still, one must never boast of having power over them, but must rely on the power of Christ.
III. Many of Antony’s teaching come to us in the form of anecdotes and sayings:
A. On humility:
1. “I saw the snares that the Devil spreads out over the world, and I said groaning: ‘What can
get through from such snares?’ Then I heard a voice saying to me: ‘Humility.’”
(Alphabetikon, Antony 7)
2. “He who knows himself knows God, and he who knows God is worthy to worship him as is
right.” (Letter 4)
B. On fraternal charity and love of neighbor:
1. “Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have gained God.
But if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ.” (Alphabetikon, Antony 9)

C. On renunciation of the world:

1. “Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember him who gives death and life.
Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate all peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this
life, so that you may be alive to God.” (Alphabetikon, Antony 33)
2. “Let us not look back upon the world and think that we have renounced great things. For
even the whole world is a very trifling thing compared with all of Heaven. . . . What we leave
behind is practically nothing. . . .” (The Life of Saint Antony, 17)
3. “Remember what you have promised God, for it will be required of you on the day of
judgment. Suffer hunger, thirst, nakedness, be watchful and sorrowful; weep, and groan in
your heart. Test yourselves, to see if you are worthy of God; despise the flesh, so that you
may preserve your souls.” (Alphabetikon, Antony 33)
D. On relaxation in the midst of asceticism:
1. One day, Antony and some of his monks were resting, sharing a meal and conversation. A
hunter rode up and was surprised to see the great Antony, whom he had always pictured as
being so strict, behaving in such a way.
2. Amused by his reaction, Antony asked the hunter to show him how he shot an arrow with his
bow. When he did so, Antony asked him to shoot another; then another, and another. After
several times, the hunter responded to the old man that, if he shot so many arrows so quickly,
without giving his bow a rest, he would break the bow and the string and they would be
useless.
3. Antony explained to the man that the same rule applied to the body and the soul. Although
we must strive for purity of heart always, we must take a little rest from our penance from
time to time, or the instruments God has given us to use to draw close to Him will break.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Is it surprising to hear the “Father of Monks”—someone so experienced and so holy—speak of the

spiritual life as “beginning again every day”? Why or why not?
2. How does Antony’s teaching about the strategies of the demons compare to the way they are presented in
the modern world, especially in movies and television? Which approach do you think is more realistic and
useful?
3. How do we balance Antony’s teachings on vigilance and relaxation? How did he achieve this balance in
his own life?

Part III:
A Garden in the Wilderness

Topic 7: The Words of the Fathers

I. Types of Ascetical Literature
II. The Vitae—Lives of the Desert Fathers and Mothers
A. These are more or less formal biographies of a particular saint.
B. They often include discourse(s) given by the subject.
C. They were heavily influenced by the style and content of the Life of Antony, written by
Athanasius and published around 357.
D. They are not just historical accounts, but also spiritual.
1. That is, they provide the motivation behind the person’s decisions and actions.
2. They also record the acts of Divine Providence in bringing the person to holiness and to the
fulfillment of his vocation.
3. At times, the stories recorded may be more difficult to accept as strictly historical.
III. Travel Journals/Histories

A. The writers—some of them monks themselves, others not—visited “second-generation” monks
and monasteries in Egypt and Syria.
B. Their journeys could last several months, or even many years.
C. They recorded their experiences in the form of collections of anecdotes.
D. Some histories became quite famous:
1. Palladius’ Lausiac History of the monks in Egypt (named for the bishop for whom it was
composed)
2. The History of the Monks in Egypt by Rufinus
IV. Monastic Rules

A. More or less formal rules of life for the larger monasteries
B. In addition to practical details, they were heavily laden with Scriptural references.
C. They also taught by example—they contained many anecdotes of the fathers that were meant to
work as parables to get across the purpose of the rules.
V. Works of Ascetical Theology

A. More systematized reflections and compilations based on the teachings of the Fathers

B. The most famous, The Institutes and The Conferences of St. John Cassian, became standard texts
for monks for many centuries.
1. Like Palladius and Rufinus, Cassian had travelled in Egypt and spoke with many monks
there over a period of several years.
2. More than a decade later, he recorded his experiences at the request of his bishop in
Marseilles, where he had founded a monastery.
3. He freely adapted the lessons of the Egyptian desert to the semi-urban life of southern
France. There was as much of Cassian in his works as there was of the desert fathers.
C. Other works were the compilation of the life experience of abbots, written at the request of their
superiors to be used:
1. By abbots of other monasteries
2. Or by those who would succeed them after their death
D. The best example of this sort of work is the Ladder of Divine Ascent by the abbot John of the
Monastery of Mount Sinai in the seventh century. He became known as John Climacus—that is,
“John of the Ladder.”
VI. Apophthegmata Patrum—The Sayings of the Fathers

A. This is a very particular word:
1. Phthegma (φθέγμα) = a voice; it is also used for animal sounds like grunts, barks or “moos”
2. Phtheggomai (φθέγγομαι) = to utter a sound
3. Apophtheggomai (ἀποφθέγγομαι) = to express an opinion
4. Apophthegmata (ἀποφθέγματα) = short sayings
B. Thus, we are referring to utterances and anecdotes, as opposed to formal discourses.
1. They are usually referred to as the “sayings” of the Fathers.
2. Also called the verba seniorum (the “words of the elders” or the gerontikon—from γέρων,
“old” + εἴκων, “record”—the “stories of the old men”)
C. They were given in response to specific requests, usually put in the traditional form, “Father,
give me a word.”
D. They required meditation and “rumination” to be understood.
1. They usually pertained to a certain need or situation.
2. Different words applied to different monks. It was not unusual for the same abba to give
different advice to two monks on the same topic, especially if he knew them well.

E. The sayings occur in various editions, in Greek, Latin, and Syriac; they have been translated
many times.
1. The Verba Seniorum of Pelagius the Deacon (Rome, 550) was the standard Latin text in the
Middle Ages.
2. The Spiritual Meadow, translated into Latin by John Moschos in Jerusalem around 600
3. The Evergetinos, published in Greek around 1050 in Constantinople
4. The Philokalia, compiled in Greece by Nicodemos of Mt Athos in 1783
F. The oldest Greek collections exist in two main forms:
1. The Alphabetikon: connected to specifically-named persons
a. Nearly 1,000 sayings in total
b. Attributed to 131 monks—128 men, 3 women
i. Only 21 of these have more than 10 sayings; many only have one or two.
ii. Many of these monks don’t appear in any other source.
iii. Over half of the sayings are attributed to only 10 abbas.
iv. 21% attributed to Abba Poemen; perhaps the collection was begun by his disciples
and added to later
2. The Systematikon
a. Anonymous sayings in most cases
b. Arranged systematically according to theme

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Do you have a favorite spiritual author? Does he or she write long treatises or short reflections? Does this
have anything to do with why you enjoy his or her writing?
2. What is important about the fact that the “sayings” of the abbas and ammas are case-specific and usually
uttered in response to specific questions and situations? What must we keep in mind when we read them
and interpret them?
3. Some “desert literature”—notably the work of St John Cassian—is already “translated” and adapted for
life in situations other than the desert. How can we continue to “translate” the advice of the abbas and
ammas to our own modern circumstances?

Topic 8: Saint Arsenius and Saint Macarius

I. Abba Arsenius the Great
A. He was born in Rome, around A.D. 360—so, just after the death of Saint Antony.
B. He was well-educated, and became the tutor of the children of the Emperor Theodosius I.
1. He lived with the royal family in the palace, where he enjoyed a life of luxury, with servants
at his disposal, and all the best food, clothing, and entertainment.
2. A contemporary said that his every whim was carried out, so that he lived as if he were “the
father of the emperor.”
C. He left the palace in 394, sailed for Alexandria, and then moved on to Scetis.
1. He did this at the direct urging of a voice from God: “Arsenius, flee from men, and then you
will be saved.”
2. In the desert, he was determined to make up with asceticism for all of the luxuries he had
enjoyed in the world.
3. People did not always understand his commitment to silence and detachment, and worried
that he was taking things to extremes.
II. One day Abba Arsenius came to a place where there were reeds blowing in the wind. The
old man said to the brothers, “What is this movement?” They said, “Some reeds.” Then
the old man said to them, “When one who is living in silent prayer hears the song of a
little sparrow, his heart no longer experiences the same peace. How much worse it is when
you hear the movement of those reeds.” (Alphabetikon, Arsenius 25)
A. For Arsenius, silence was the way to purity of heart, that made it possible to hear the voice of
God speaking.
B. The “movements” of thoughts could come from various sources:
1. From the Evil One, in the form of temptation
2. From the world, in the form of distraction
3. From the self, in the form of desire
4. From God, in the form of inspiration
C. Silence was a necessary component of discernment and reflection, so that the monk could tell
where the “movement” of the heart originated and act accordingly.

III. It was said of him that, just as none in the palace had worn more splendid garments than
he when he lived there, so no one in the Church wore such poor clothing. (Arsenius 4)
It was said of the same Abba Arsenius that he only changed the water for his palm leaves
once a year. . . . One old man implored him in these words: “Why do you not change the
water when it smells bad?” He said to him, “Instead of the perfumes and aromatics that I
used in the world, I must bear this bad smell.” (Arsenius 18)
A. Arsenius determined that his attachments to worldly things had become obstacles to a deeper
dependence on God and a real love for him.
B. He was determined to overcome these obstacles by deliberately sacrificing luxuries and even
taking on things that were disagreeable.
C. He sought out penances that were opposed to the things he used to depend on.
IV. Abba Macarius the Great

A. He was born about the year 300 in Lower Egypt, probably not far from Alexandria. He was
about 50 years younger than Antony.
B. In his youth, he worked as a camel driver and merchant.
1. He sold natron, a naturally-occurring compound of sodium that was used for a variety of
household cleaning purposes, as an early form of body soap and toothpaste, and as a
preservative for food.
2. Natron gave its name to the town of Nitria, and to the monastery founded nearby.
3. Some people suggested that Macarius actually stole the natron that he later sold.
C. He was later ordained as a priest, and lived in solitude on the outskirts of his village.
D. He went to the desert under somewhat unusual circumstances:
1. A young woman from the town where he lived became pregnant with her boyfriend. When
confronted by her father, she blamed it on Macarius.
2. Macarius was seized, beaten, and humiliated by the townsfolk. He remained silent and did
not contradict the woman’s story.
3. He worked hard to make baskets, which he sold and sent the money from them to support the
girl, whom he referred to as his “wife”.
4. When the time came for her to deliver her child, she was in labor for five days, and could not
give birth until she told the whole truth.
5. Macarius was vindicated, and the townsfolk came to apologize. He fled the town to preserve
his solitude and humility, and went to Scetis.

E. Cassian says Macarius was the first to find a way to live at Scetis.
V. Abba Pambo said to him, “Father, say a word to the brethren.” He said, “I have not yet
become a monk, but I have seen monks.” (Alphabetikon, Macarius 2)
A. This story comes from a time when Macarius had been living for many years at Scetis, and had
become the abba of the place.
B. He relates how he left Scetis for a while and met two hermits who lived like wild beasts in the
deep desert, totally cut off from all human contact.
C. They wore no clothes and depended totally on God for safety, shelter, and food. They had been
living this way for forty years.
D. He realized that, for as much progress as he had made, there was still a long way to go before he
could say he was completely detached from the world and dedicated to God.
E. It is a reminder that the spiritual battle and the work of growing in holiness is never really
finished as long as we are in this world.
VI. Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden
engaged in plundering Macarius’ goods. So he came up to the thief as if we were a
stranger and he helped him to load the animal. He saw him off in great peace of soul,
saying, “We have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the
world” (1 Tim 6:7). (Macarius 18)
A. This is one of several stories that speak of Macarius’ simple, happy detachment from material
goods.
B. This is particularly interesting given his background, and the fact that he was sometimes accused
of having been a thief himself.
C. It was said that, if people treated him as a saint, he avoided them, but if they brought up his
supposedly shady past, he welcomed them joyfully, because they helped him to stay humble.
VII. Macarius’ humility allowed him to be gentle with the brethren:

A. One story relates how he had a vision of the Devil going to tempt the young brothers in the
monastery. On returning, the demon noted that he had been vanquished by all the brothers but
one, whom he was able to tempt to various sins.
B. Macarius went down to speak to that brother, who was hesitant to share his struggles with the
abba. Instead, Macarius mentioned the things that he knew the young brother had been tempted
by, as if he (Macarius) himself still struggled with them. He asked the brother to pray for him,
and to offer advice if he had any.
C. In this way, the brother felt free to open up and to admit that he “also” had the same problem.
The two of them were able to converse freely and honestly about the sins that were troubling the
brother.

D. The next time the Devil came to tempt the brothers, he told Macarius that he was not able to
conquer any of them, especially the brother with whom Macarius had spoken, who had
developed new strength against temptation.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Not everyone understood Abba Arsenius’ desire to remain silent and separated from people. What do you
make of it? Does it seem extreme to you?
2. Do you understand Abba Arsenius’ idea that the way to overcome attachments that have become
obstacles between the self and God, is to do penance by accepting the opposite suffering—silence instead
of music; bad smells instead of perfumes; etc.? How could you put this into practice in your own life?
3. Do you think that Abba Macarius was right in the way that he spoke with the brother who had been
overcome by temptations—as if he himself were the one with many failings? Can you think of other
situations in which a similar approach would be effective in helping someone to see the truth?

Topic 9: Saint John and Saint Poemon

I. Abba John the Short
A. He was born about 339, in Tese, near Oxyrhynchus (modern el-Bahnasa), about 300 miles south
of Alexandria, on a canal west of the Nile.
B. He left home at 18 to join the monks of Scetis, and was trained by Abba Ammoes for 12 years.
C. He eventually became a leader at Scetis, taking on many disciples himself, including Abba
Arsenius. He was ordained a priest for the service of the monks.
D. To preserve his solitude he dug a cave underground where he could retreat from time to time.
E. After 407, he moved permanently to Antony’s Inner Mountain.
II. It was said of Abba John that he withdrew and lived in the desert at Scetis with an old
man. His abba, taking a piece of dry wood, planted it and said to him, “Water it every day
with a bottle of water until it bears fruit.” . . . Then the old man took some of the fruit and
carried it to the church, saying to the brethren, “Take and eat the fruit of obedience.”
(Alphabetikon, John the Short 1)
A. The water was so far away that he had to leave in the evening, stay overnight, and return the next
morning.
B. It took three years for the tree to bear fruit.
C. This story is the most famous about Abba John. It testifies to his unquestioning obedience, a
mark of his humility and his trust in his vocation.
III. Abba John said, “I am like a man sitting under a great tree, who sees wild beasts and
snakes coming against him in great number. When he cannot withstand them any longer,
he runs to climb the tree and is saved. It is just the same with me. I sit in my cell and I am
aware of evil thoughts coming against me, and when I have no more strength against
them, I take refuge in God by prayer and I am saved from the enemy.” (12)
A. He had learned from experience not to trust himself, but to rely on God in the midst of his
struggles.
B. This was not something that came automatically to him. God trained him through long
experience of temptation. His abba advised him not to ask God to take him temptations away,
but to give him the strength to bear them well.
C. He learned how to protect himself from temptations and the occasions of sin. He was content
with the knowledge that he was weak, and did not resent it.

IV. Abba John said, “A house is not built by beginning at the top and working down. You
must begin with the foundations in order to reach the top. The foundation is our neighbor,
whom we must win, and that is the place to begin. For all the commandments of Christ
depend on this one.” (John the Short 34)
A. Charity for the neighbor is the beginning of his whole spiritual plan:
1. We should have a little bit of all the virtues.
2. It takes daily, persevering effort to acquire them.
3. We must use great patience and fervent love of God.
4. We must practice great humility, vigilance and purity of speech and thought.
5. We must not get angry when insulted, but maintain peace and equanimity.
6. We must not pay attention to the faults of others, but consider ourselves the least of
everyone.
7. We must renounce material possessions and live by the Cross.
8. We must do our work in peace and persevere in the ascetic life.
9. At all times, we must remember the nearness of death.
V. Abba John was singularly generous with him time and energy.
A. He recognized his abilities and knowledge as gifts from God, and therefore something that must
be freely and joyfully shared with others.
B. He encouraged his disciples to adopt the same attitude toward those who came to them for help.
VI. Abba Poemen the Great

A. He was born around the year 340. He was one of seven brothers, all of whom went away together
to become monks.
1. Their mother did not want to lose them, and came to seek them out in the desert. They saw
her coming and ran to their cells, locking her out.
2. When she pleaded with him, Abba Poemen told her that, if she wanted to see them in heaven,
she had to leave without seeing them in this world.
B. He settled in Scetis around 370, and had contacts with Arsenius, Moses the Ethiopian, John the
Short, and others.
C. He is said to have lived until 450, to the age of 110.
D. The alphabetical collection contains 209 of his sayings.

1. This is 15% of the whole collection, though he is only one of the 131 monks in the book.
2. Some scholars think that the collection was begun by his disciples, who added other abbas’
sayings to the list of Poemen’s that they had already compiled.
VII. A brother said to Abba Poemen, “Give me a word.” The old man said to him, “As long as
the pot is on the fire, no fly nor any other animal can get near it, but as soon as it is cold,
these creatures get inside. So it is for the monk: as long as he lives in spiritual activities,
the enemy cannot find a means of overthrowing him.” (Poemen 111)
A. Fervor is a necessary component of the spiritual life.
B. It is kept going by
1. Fear of the Lord
2. Prayer
3. Works of charity
4. Detachment and asceticism
C. Still, in the midst of fervor, moderation and periodic rest are also important.
VIII. A brother came to see Abba Poemen and said to him, “Abba, I have many thoughts and
they put me in danger.” The old man led him outside and said to him, “Expand your chest
and do not breathe in.” He said, “I cannot do that.” Then the old man said to him, “If you
cannot do that, no more can you prevent thoughts from arising, but you can resist them.”
(Alphabetikon, Poemen 28)
D. We will always face temptations, as long as we are living in the flesh.
E. We cannot avoid them, even in the solitude of the desert.
F. The fight goes on continually, and so vigilance is necessary.
IX. A brother said to Abba Poemen, “I have committed a great sin and I want to do penance
for three years.” The old man said to him, “That is a lot.” The brother said to him, “For
one year?” The old man said again, “That is a lot.” Those who were present said, “For
forty days?” The old man said again, “That is a lot.” He added, “I myself say that if a
man repents with his whole heart and does not intend to commit the sin any more, God
will accept him after only three days.” (Poemen 12)
A. It is not the external works—not even the asceticism of the desert—that “wins” forgiveness from
God.
B. Rather, sins are overcome with patience and great trust in God’s mercy.

C. Forgiveness and reconciliation are gifts of grace and given freely by God. They are not earned,
even by lots of works. This does not mean that penance is unimportant, but our focus must be on
internal repentance which leads to conversion.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What do you make of Abba John’s total obedience, even to the point of watering the stick? Was this
“blind” obedience, or was it based on something deeper? What impact did it have on his life as a monk?
As an abba?
2. What would Abba Poemen identify as the “bare essentials” of a successful life as a desert monk? How
can we translate these into qualities we can seek in our own lives?
3. Do you see similarities in the personalities of Abba Poemen and Abba John? Where do you think such
similarities originate?

Part IV:
Saint Syncletica
and the Desert Ammas

Topic 10: The Mothers of the Desert
I. Not surprisingly, ancient sources do not always give “equal time” to the women who
answered the call to live as ascetics in the desert.
A. The histories do not even fully account for their presence there, but they were indeed represented
in large numbers.
1. Pachomius’s sister founded a monastery for women near his, near Tabennesi
2. The women lived on the other side of the river from the men.
3. They followed a similar rule of life and were organized along the same general lines.
4. Palladius reports that, in the early fifth century, at least 400 women lived here.
B. The Lausiac History of Palladius relates a number of stories of women
1. “. . . The courageous women to whom God granted struggles equal to those of men.”
2. He recalls some of them by name:
a. The matron Paula, a confidant of Saint Jerome
b. Amma Alexandra, who lived walled in a tomb for 10 years
c. Amma Isidora, who did menial work and let everyone in her convent think she was
insane
C. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers include four women, along with 128 men.
1. Amma Theodora
a. She was the wife of a tribune who became notable for her detachment from possessions.
b. She was often consulted by monks about the monastic life, and even the archbishop
Theophilus came to her for counsel.
c. “Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter’s storms, cannot bear fruit, so
it is with us. This present age is a storm, and it is only through many trials and
temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.”
(Alphabetikon, Theodora 2)
2. Amma Sarah
a. By her own admission, she struggled against temptations and impure desires for more
than 13 years. She fought against them with strict asceticism.
b. Finally the demon of lust appeared to her in visible form and admitted defeat.

c. An idea of her spirit of self-denial is given in one anecdote that is told of her: She had
lived near a river for 60 years, it is said, but was surprised one day when someone
mentioned how pleasant it was to be close to running water. In all that time, she had
never raised her eyes and looked at it.
d. “If I prayed God that all men should approve of my conduct, I should find myself a
penitent at the door of each one. I shall rather pray that my heart may be pure towards
all.” (Sarah 5)
D. Amma Matrona
1. She was born in Asia Minor in the early fifth century and lived in Constantinople. She
married a wealthy man, and they had a daughter.
2. She was very devout and would spend entire days sometimes in church. In her early twenties,
she began to live a very ascetical life, drawing sharp criticism from her husband.
3. Eventually she felt called by God to leave her husband and become a nun; she entrusted her
daughter to the care of the widows of the local church and left for the desert.
4. To hide from her husband, she disguised herself and entered a monastery of men. When she
was discovered after some time, the abbot arranged for her to enter a women’s monastery in
Emesa, where she eventually became abbess.
5. Her husband tracked her down, and she fled from him to Lebanon. After his death she and
the sisters with her moved back to Constantinople, where she died at the age of 100, after 75
years of the monastic life.
6. “We carry ourselves wherever we go, and cannot escape temptation by mere flight. Many
people living secluded lives on the mountain have perished by living like people in the world.
It is better to live in a crowd and want to live a solitary life than to live a solitary life but all
the time be longing for company.”
II. The best known and most influential of the women of the desert was Amma Syncletica.
A. She was born in Alexandria, Egypt, around AD 270.
B. Her parents were wealthy Christians, originally from Macedonia.
1. They emigrated to Alexandria because of the reputation of Christians there.
2. She had several siblings:
a. One sister (who was blind)
b. A brother who died in childhood
c. Another brother who died just before he was to be married

3. Her name may give us some indication of her family’s status:

a. Synkletos (σύγκλητος) = the assembly or senate
b. Synkletiko (συγκλητικο) = a senator
c. Synkletike (συγκλητικη) = a senator’s wife or daughter
C. By all accounts, she was extremely beautiful and had many suitors because of her wealth and
rank.
1. Her parents encouraged her to marry, especially as she was their only hope of grandchildren.
2. She ignored her suitors and neglected her appearance so as to discourage them.
3. She desired a “divine marriage,” a total commitment to Christ.
4. Her sacrifice was seen as a new kind of martyrdom.
5. She was not persuaded by her parents’ pleading, nor by offers of gifts.
D. She began a strict, ascetical life in her parents’ house. Her fasting was “a safeguard and
foundation for the other virtues.”
1. When she was made to eat more than a little, she was sick.
2. When she fasted, she felt and looked exceptionally well.
E. When her parents died, she left home with her sister.
1. She sold all of the family estate and distributed the proceeds to the poor.
2. She lived in a family tomb outside the city, spending the time in solitude and prayer to
discern God’s will for her life.
F. Eventually she sent for a priest from the village. In his presence, she cut off her hair—her last
connection with worldly things—and made a commitment to live for God alone. She went into
the wilderness and began an ascetical life.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Can you identify specifically feminine or “maternal” aspects of the stories and teachings that come down
to us from the desert ammas? What special benefits can we derive from them?
2. Do you think Amma Matrona was right to leave her family to become a desert nun? Why or why not?
How did she explain her decision?
3. Amma Syncletica’s biographer claimed that her decision to give her life completely to Christ was a
greater and more painful sacrifice than if she had died as a martyr. Do you agree with this? In what ways
do you think he meant it?

Topic 11: Saint Syncletica’s Advice for Beginners
I. As soon as she entered the wilderness, Syncletica began to deny herself all sorts of
things.
A. In this way, her biographer says, she headed off the first impulses of temptations.
B. Her austerities included:
1. Reducing her food to only bran bread in small amounts
2. Taking water only when necessary, and often no water at all for long periods
3. Sleeping on the ground at all times
4. Constant prayer
5. Practice of the virtues, especially faith, hope, and love
6. Love for neighbor, and almsgiving, “if not in actuality then certainly in intent”
C. She knew to moderate her penance when the battle was easier, in order not to lose strength.
II. Although she loved solitude, her reputation spread, and women came to her from the
surrounding towns and villages and asked for advice on the spiritual life.
A. At first she refused to teach them because in her humility she considered herself just a beginner.
B. Eventually gave into their request, and (like Saint Antony) a large part of her Life is a discourse
1. 80 of the 113 chapters (70%!) records her advice to these women.
2. However, her biographer insists that they learned more from her example than from her
words.
C. It seems that many women came to live with her in the same region.
III. She lived in this way into her late 60s. After many years of penance, she was stricken
with great suffering.
A. A cancer in her lungs afflicted her for 3½ years.
B. She developed a fever that burned her insides.
C. Next, a terrible infection in a molar quickly destroyed her jaw and her tongue.
1. This was particularly devastating, as it affected her ability to speak and to teach and
encourage others.

2. It also became an occasion for testing and teaching others to be humble, as it created a
terrible odor that repulsed those who looked after her.
D. Syncletica became a model of patience in suffering, and taught patience to those who tended her.
E. She suffered in this way for many months, and eventually died on the day she had predicted, at
the age of 80.
IV. In her teaching, Amma Syncletica was always practical, especially with those who were
just starting out in the spiritual life.
A. “I am telling you these things to safeguard you from the Adversary. What is being said, however,
is not suitable for all, but only for those who choose this life. Just as one diet is not suitable for
all animals, so the same instruction is not appropriate for all people.”
1. She was attentive to the needs of each person who came to her.
2. She sent many home to the city, to be holy right where God had put them.
3. Those who stayed she led in the way that God knew best.
4. She was willing to praise beginners when possible, so that they did not get too discouraged
by criticism.
5. There is a particularly motherly quality to her approach to holiness.
B. “For those who are making their way to God, there is at first great struggle and effort, but then
indescribable joy.”
1. She compares growth in holiness to building a fire.
a. First, there is little to show for it but lots of effort and lots of smoke.
b. This causes tears and coughing, which can lead to discouragement and a desire to give
up.
c. It is only if one perseveres through this initial phase, when it does not seem like much is
happening, that one arrives at the flame that is useful and gives warmth.
d. Because we know it is the Lord’s desire to kindle the flame in us, we must persevere in
our efforts until it catches.
C. This growth in holiness requires a total commitment.
1. Conversion cannot be something superficial or merely external.
2. The renunciation of the world, and of the external, material things that come from it, make it
possible for the nun to concentrate on what needs conversion within herself.

3. Syncletica uses the image of cutting off her hair upon entering the monastic life:
a. Now that the scalp is clean, the little “lice” that cling to it are visible and can be attended
to.
b. The locks of hair represent big, material attachments. The tiny lice are the internal
problems like pride, anger and envy. They are less noticeable, but more dangerous when
hidden.
c. Now that they are out in the open, a nun must not stop growing in holiness until all of
these hidden vices are addressed and eradicated.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Do you think it was any more difficult for Amma Syncletica, as a woman, to go off into the wilderness
and live the ascetical life than it would have been for a desert monk, like Saint Antony? Why or why not?
2. Have you experienced the kinds of initial trials that Amma Syncletica describes when she uses the image
of trying to light a fire and achieving only smoke at first? What makes it difficult to persevere? How can
one get the strength to keep going?
3. What does Amma Syncletica mean by the “lice” that are hidden by the “hair” on the “head” of the soul?
How does this image help us to understand the process of conversion in our own spiritual lives? Is this an
easy process to undergo? Why or why not?

Topic 12: Saint Syncletica’s Wisdom for Life’s Journey
I. As we have seen, Saint Syncletica spent many decades in the desert.

A. Her advice was not just for beginners, but bore the mark of long experience.
B. She counseled those who joined her to endure trials and persevere for the long journey through
life.
C. In this way, they would put the Enemy to shame.
D. She compared those who lived the ascetical life to sailors, who do not turn back to port at the
sight of a storm, but lie quiet for a little while, and then resume their journey.
II. We remember that she was from the port city of Alexandria, which was home to the
Pharos, the great lighthouse which was among the Seven Wonders of the World. A
number of her sayings have to do with sailing, navigation, or shipbuilding:
A. “The mind must become painstakingly diligent with respect to its thoughts. We are sailing in
uncertainty. For our life is a sea . . . But some parts of the sea are full of reefs, and some full also
of monsters, but some too are calm. We seem to be sailing in the calm . . . during the day. It often
happens, however, that the secular person has saved his ship in the midst of storm and darkness,
by crying out and staying awake. We, on the other hand, have drowned in calm waters through
carelessness in letting go of the rudder of righteousness. Let the one standing firm, therefore,
take care lest he fall.” (Life, para. 46–48)
B. “Like a ship our soul is sometimes engulfed by the waves without, and is sometimes swamped by
the bilge-water within. We must guard against onslaughts of spirits from outside us, and bail out
impurities of thoughts inside us. Against the storm waves outside, salvation often comes from
ships nearby when the sailors cry out for help. But bilge-waters overflow and frequently kill the
sailors, often when they are asleep and the sea is calm.” (Life, para. 45)
C. “Just as a ship sailing without rudders is constantly tossed about, so is danger ever gusting
against negligent souls. They are not able to reach a safe harbor since they have dropped the
Lord as their pilot.” (Life, para. 85)
D. “Just as one cannot build a ship unless one has some nails, so it is impossible to be saved
without humility.” (Alphabetikon, Syncletica 26)
III. Humility and patience also figured prominently in her spiritual program.
A. The seemingly little sins like envy and malicious talk were, in the long run, more dangerous to
the common life than the big ones like lust, greed and murder.
1. The bigger, more obvious sins are healed by being found out, and the person is soon brought
to conversion.

2. But the anger and resentments that one harbors in her heart can linger unnoticed for a long
time and poison relationships in small and subtle ways.
3. Once they have taken hold of the heart, they become increasingly difficult to root out.
i. “They do damage not by the size of their blow, but by the negligence of the
wounded.” (Life, para. 65)
B. Humility could be acquired, she said, by the particular asceticism that came from being obedient.
1. This internal sacrifice of being obedient to the amma—of following another’s will and
directions rather than our own preferences—is more valuable than lots of external sacrifices.
2. There is often danger, she saw, in doing visible things, since they can draw attention to the
one performing the penance.
3. But obedience always trains the heart and mind to be humble rather than proud.
IV. She also saw the necessity of voluntary poverty and detachment from material goods.
A. It led to freedom from temptation and openness to God’s will.
B. Detachment was aided by generous acceptance of ascetical penances.
C. The “involuntary” giving up of strength that came along with old age was also a form of
detachment and led to a greater dependence on God, which is very necessary as one draws closer
to death.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What might the sayings from Amma Syncletica about ships and navigation tell us about her history and
personality? Does this help to “humanize” a figure who would otherwise be somewhat remote from us?
2. Amma Syncletica is often more attentive to small, internal sins than more visible, external ones, and
encourages others to be equally vigilant. To what do you attribute this special concern of hers?
3. How did Amma Syncletica incorporate her personal story and experience—her long life, her illness, and
her great suffering—into her teaching on the spiritual life? Does this help us or not as we try to learn from
her?

Part V:
Finding Healing in the Desert

Topic 13: Saint Mary of Egypt: Into the Desert
I. The Life of Saint Mary of Egypt

A. Written by Saint Sophronius, based on oral accounts
B. Begins with the story of Abba Zosimas
1. He was a monk in Palestine (probably near Caesarea), who became a monk in childhood.
2. He was very devout and kept the rule without fail, becoming expert in every sort of
asceticism.
3. When he was around age 53, he was tempted to think there was no one better than himself.
4. He was visited by an angel, and instructed by God to go to a monastery near the Jordan,
where he met very holy monks and lived as the lowest member of the community.
C. These monks had a special tradition:
1. On the First Sunday of Lent, the monks went into the desert for solitude.
2. Each one would leave the monastery, going out by himself, hoping to find a hermit to learn
from, and returning on Palm Sunday.
D. One year, probably A.D. 452, Zosimas went out as usual, walking farther and farther, drawn by a
desire to find a spiritual father to guide him.
1. He hurried along as if he were “travelling to a well-known inn.”
2. On the 21st day, he stopped at noon to pray and saw a shadow over his shoulder.
a. He thought it might be a wild animal, or perhaps a demon.
b. When he made the sign of the cross and it did not run away, he knew he would be safe.
He turned around to see who it was, and the figure ran away.
E. It turned out to be an old woman, completely naked and worn out by penance.
1. She fled from him; he pursued her and gave her his cloak.
2. She knew his name and that he was a priest.
3. Zosimas presumed she must have spent her whole life in asceticism, but she insisted that she
was just an ordinary sinner, totally dependent on God.
4. He prevailed on her to tell him her story, and finally she agreed.

II. Saint Mary of Egypt

A. She was born in Alexandria around A.D. 376, to a happy, well-to-do Christian family, and was
baptized as a child.
B. At the age of 12, she left home.
1. She had had a happy home life; there were no problems forcing her to leave.
2. Rather, she was taken by the life of the metropolis and eager to live life on her own.
3. She lost her virginity at a young age and gave herself over to lust.
4. She insisted that there were no money motives involved; in fact, she lived in terrible poverty,
giving herself to one man after another while she scrounged out a meager living by begging
or spinning.
5. This way of life continued, she said, for 17 years.
C. One day, when she was about 29, she saw a large group of people heading for the port
1. She asked one of the travelers what was happening, and she found out they were going on
pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see the Holy Cross exposed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
2. She asked who may make the pilgrimage. He told her that anyone may go who can pay the
fare.
3. She met a number of young men and flirted with them to get on board. Once aboard, she
seduced crew and passengers alike to “pay” for her passage and food.
D. In Jerusalem, she continued her life of dissipation up to the day of the feast.
III. The Exaltation of the Cross

A. One day she saw a large crowd headed for the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and followed along
out of curiosity.
1. She found that she could not enter the church because an invisible force repelled her at the
threshold.
2. She began to realize that it was because of her sinful life and repented.
B. Seeing an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the wall, she began to pray:
1. “It is not suitable for me, defiled as I am, to look upon this picture of you.”
2. “It would be right for you in your purity to reject and loathe my impurity.”
3. “But God became man to save sinners and to call them to repentance.”
4. “So help me, for I am alone and without any other help.”

5. “When I see the cross of your Son, I will go wherever you shall lead.”
C. Now she was able to enter, and saw the bishop raise up the Cross of Jesus
1. She experienced a conversion and left the church with great joy.
2. Then she wondered how to keep her promise to follow the Blessed Mother. At once she
heard a voice saying, “If you cross the Jordan you will find peace.”
a. A man in the crowd pressed some coins into her hand—“Here, mother, take this,” he
says—and she used the money to buy three small loaves of bread.
b. She asked the baker how to get to the Jordan River. There, she found the Church of St
John the Baptist, where she went to Mass.
c. The next day she crossed the Jordan and went into the desert, where she would begin a
live of asceticism in reparation for her past sins.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Mary knew that her story would be painful for Zosimas to hear, but she thought it was important to tell
him. Why do you think she felt this to be true? Do you agree with her?
2. What was your initial reaction to hearing about the way Mary lived as a young woman? Do you think
that, at the time, the Lord was judging her in the same way? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it was really possible for Mary to be converted all at once, as she claimed? What would
make it difficult to accept this? What makes it possible to take her at her word?

Topic 14: Desert Conversions: Saint Mary of Egypt and

Saint Moses the Ethiopian
I. Mary of Egypt lived in the Judean desert for a total of 46 years
A. The first 17 years consisted of hard penance.
1. This was to make up for the 17 years she had spent in lust and self-indulgence.
a. We have seen this pattern already in some of the other monks, who did penance to make
up for excesses in the world.
b. Mary experienced many temptations in these early years, mostly brought on by memories
of the things she used to do, the places she used to go, the songs she used to sing, and
jokes she used to tell, etc.
2. She had only taken 2 ½ loaves of bread into the wilderness with her; when they ran out she
learned to live on herbs and grasses.
3. She relates that, when memories of her old life came to her, she would recall the sweet
memory of the day of her conversion.
a. She would call to mind the image of the Blessed Mother’s icon, and of her conversion
with Our Lady that day.
b. She would call on Our Lady to remember that day, too, and the promises they had made
to one another.
B. She asks Zosimas to return the following Holy Thursday with the Eucharist.
1. She has not been able to receive the sacrament during all these years.
2. The following Lent, she says, he is not to leave the monastery.
3. Rather, on the night of the Lord’s Supper, he should come out to the Jordan and meet her
there with Holy Communion.
4. In the meantime, he is to tell no one about her.
C. He does as she requests, and goes out to meet her the next year.
1. Zosimas sees Mary cross the Jordan by walking on the water.
2. They pray together, and he gives her communion.
3. Although he begs her to stay, she leaves quickly. She promises him that, if he looks for her
the next Lent, he will find her in the place they first met.
4. She dies that night; he finds her body the following year and buries it.

D. Zosimas quickly tells her story, and she becomes a model of repentance:
1. Like St Paul, Mary may be considered an “extreme case” of God’s mercy.
a. Zosimas assumed she must always have been holy.
b. Mary knows that the transformation in her soul is due to God’s grace and not her own
deserving it or earning it.
2. The fact that she was healed of many sins led to a great love for Christ.
3. It is a powerful reminder that we must never lose hope for anyone’s conversion and
salvation.
II. Saint Moses the Ethiopian

A. “Ethiopian” does not necessarily mean from the nation we know as Ethiopia.
1. Aithiops (Αιθίοψ) = a somewhat generic Greek term for black Africans, derived from the
Greek aithos (αιθός), “burnt”, and ops (όψ), “face”
2. Thus, he is sometimes called simply “Moses the Black.”
3. In Greek geography, Aethiopia referred to all of sub-Saharan Africa.
B. Born about 330, he became a servant to a government official in Nitria.
1. He was soon dismissed for stealing from his master.
2. He turned to a life of crime, becoming the leader of a gang of 70 thieves.
3. A shepherd’s dog sounded the alarm on one of his burglary attempts, and he swore revenge.
After going after the shepherd, he fled to the desert, perhaps to escape the authorities.
III. Eventually he arrived at the hermitages of Scetis, which had been founded at about the
time he was born.
A. It is unclear whether his conversion happened on his way there or only once he arrived and met
the monks.
B. At any rate, he changes his life and becomes a monk at Scetis.
C. He is first under the direction of Abba Isidore, who teaches him patience and perseverance.
1. At first he is very hard on himself, taking on strict penances.
2. He has brought himself with him into the desert, after all, and is troubled with many
temptations and memories of his old life.
3. Several times he is ready to leave the desert because the trial is so fierce.

D. Isidore advises him to calm down and to be content to grow in virtue gradually, just as the dark
sky lightens gradually as the sun rises.
1. This is a difficult lesson for Moses to accept: he is tough and wants to solve the problem right
away.
2. He is encouraged by the thought that God provides help for those who struggle to do his will.
E. Moses later became a disciple of Abba Macarius: Moses was thus a spiritual “grandson” of St.
Antony, who had trained Macarius.
IV. Moses’ deep repentance for his sins and his fierce battles against temptations lead him
to:
A. True humility
B. An unwillingness to judge any of his neighbors
C. A deep joy in God’s love and in having been forgiven by God
D. A genuine hospitality and love of neighbor
V. He became a priest at the urging of the abbot, in order to provide the sacraments for
his fellow monks. Eventually, seeking greater solitude, he moved to Petra.
VI. He dwelt in the desert until he was 75. He died on August 28, 410.
A. At that time, barbarians attacked Scetis.
B. He sent his disciples away, though 7 remain with him, and they died a martyr’s death. At his
death, he left behind 70 disciples.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Did Mary see her ascetical life as “paying off” her past sins? If not, what was the purpose of her time in
the desert? Did she accomplish what she set out to do there?
2. Mary of Egypt and Moses the Ethiopian both took winding paths to get to the desert. Does this make a
difference in the “value” of their self-offering to the Lord? Why or why not?
3. What particular challenges did Moses face as a desert monk because of his personal history? Did his past
experience give him any particular benefit or advantage as a monk?

Topic 15: Saint Moses of Ethiopia: The Convert’s Wisdom
I. Saint Moses’ experience of sin and conversion led him to be compassionate toward
others.
A. One very powerful anecdote expresses his attitude quite well.
1. The fathers of Scetis were gathered to judge a brother who had committed a serious fault.
2. They had sent for Moses, but he would not come. They sent again, and would not begin until
he arrived.
3. He finally came, carrying a large basket filled with sand. He had pierced a hole in the basket
so that the sand ran out behind him.
4. When they asked what he meant by this, he replied: “My many sins run out behind me, and I
do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the error of another.”
5. Impressed by his words and actions, the assembly forgave the brother and gave him another
chance.
B. Moses advised that a person must “die to his neighbor”—that is, he must not notice his faults or
judge him in any way.
C. If one pays attention to his own sins and weaknesses, he will not notice those that his neighbor
may commit.
II. Hospitality was a key virtue in the desert.

A. Moses was known for being hospitable to all who came to him.
B. This was a mark of his humility and of the joy he took in being a monk and having been
forgiven.
C. Hospitality even trumped the necessity of fasting.
D. It set him apart from more abstemious monks like Abba Arsenius, though both ways were
pleasing to God.
E. It gave him an opportunity to practice charity, as well as dependence on God:
1. When he moved to Petra, he was worried that he would not be able to find water there.
2. A voice told him to go, and not to be anxious about anything.
3. As soon as he arrived, he had visitors, and had to use all the water he had brought with him to
prepare food for them.
4. He immediately began to pray to the Lord for rain so that he would have the water he needed.

5. They asked him why he kept getting up and going outside (he was looking for rain clouds).
He explained:
6. “I was arguing with God, saying, ‘You brought me here, and now I have no water for your
servants.’ That is why I was going in and out. I was going on at God until he sent us some
water.” (Alphabetikon, Moses 13)
a. This shows a great deal of trust and humble acceptance of God’s will.
b. He is able to pray with boldness because he relies on God to keep his promises and to do
what is necessary.
III. Moses recognized the importance of stillness in the spiritual life.

A. “Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” (Moses 6)
1. This simple advice seems to indicate that persevering daily commitment to God’s will is the
key, rather than frantic activity.
2. It is particularly meaningful, coming from someone like Moses, who spent his youth calling
his own shots.
3. Stillness provides the opportunity to hear God clearly and to discern his will.
B. In the cell, the monk has the opportunity to persevere in prayer.
1. “If a man’s deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he labors in vain. . . . We should no
longer do those things against which we pray. For when a man gives up his own will, then
God is reconciled with him and accepts his prayers.” (Alphabetikon, Moses 4a)
a. In other words, prayers must be translated into action—we must trust God to answer our
petitions and make the changes that we know are necessary for us.
b. Again, humble trust is the key. When we know that our will is in conformity with God’s
will, we believe and hope that he will give us what we need to do his will, at the time that
we need it.
2. Prayer for the neighbor helps us to overlook his faults and to grow in charity.
3. Communion with God in prayer keeps our attention fixed on heaven, which allows us to bear
with the sufferings we encounter in this world.
a. “This is what peace is: Encourage yourself with this thought, ‘Affliction lasts but a short
time, while peace is forever, by the grace of God the Word.’” (Alphabetikon, Moses 7a)

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Do you think that Moses’ history made a difference in the way that his fellow monks looked at him, and
listened to his words? Would it have been a positive or negative difference? Why?
2. Moses was well-known for his cheerfulness and hospitality toward visitors. To what do you attribute
these aspects of his personality and spiritual life?
3. How do you interpret Moses’ advice to learn holiness by sitting in your cell? How can we apply this word
to our modern lives? What impact could this have if we really tried to follow it? What things would have
to go, or at least be modified, from our day-to-day lives?

For Further Reading

Athanasius. The Life of Saint Antony. Ancient Christian Writers, Number 10. Translated by Robert T.
Meyer. New York: Newman, 1950.
Basil the Great. Ascetical Works. The Fathers of the Church, Volume 9. Translated by M. Monica
Wagner. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1950.
Chitty, Derwas. The Desert a City: An Introduction to the Study of Egyptian and Palestinian Monasticism
under the Christian Empire. Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1966.
Cyril of Scythopolis. The Lives of the Monks of Palestine. Translated by R.M. Price. Kalamazoo, Mich.:
Cistercian Publications, 1991.
The Desert Fathers. Translated and Introduced by Helen Waddell. New York: Vintage, 1998.
The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks. Translated by Benedicta Ward. London:
Penguin, 2003.
[This collection follows the text of the Latin Verba seniorum, translated by Pelagius in AD 550 and used by most Western
authors from the Middle Ages to the modern period.]
Dunn, Marilyn. The Emergence of Monasticism: From the Desert Fathers to the Early Middle Ages.
Oxford: Blackwell, 2000.
Early Christian Lives. Translated and edited by Carolinne White. London: Penguin, 1998.
Early Monastic Rules: The Rules of the Fathers and the Regula Orientalis. Translated by Carmela
Franklin, et al. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1982.
The Evergetinos: A Complete Text. In four volumes. Translated and edited by Bishop Chrysostomos, et
al. Etna, Calif.: Center for Traditional Orthodox Studies, 1988.
John Cassian. The Conferences. Ancient Christian Writers, Number 57. Translated by Boniface Ramsey.
New York: Newman, 1997.

________. The Institutes. Ancient Christian Writers, Number 58. Translated by Boniface Ramsey. New
York: Newman, 2000.
John Climacus. The Ladder of Divine Ascent. The Classics of Western Spirituality. Translated by Colm
Luibheid and Norman Russell. Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist, 1982.
John Moschos. The Spiritual Meadow. Translated by John Wortley. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian
Publications, 1992.
Hausher, Irénée. Spiritual Direction in the Early Christian East. Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel.
Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications, 1990.
The Letters of Saint Antony the Great. Translated by Derwas Chitty. Oxford: SLG Press, 1975.
The Life of Our Holy Father Among the Saints Moses the Ethiopian. Seattle: Saint Nectarios Press, 1991.
The Lives of the Desert Fathers: The Historia Monachorum in Aegypto. Translated by Norman Russell.
Kalamazoo, Michigan; Cistercian, 1981.
The Lives of Simeon Stylites. Translated by Robert Doran. Kalamazoo, Michigan; Cistercian, 1992.
Merton, Thomas. The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century.
New York: New Directions, 1970.
Pachomian Koinonia: The Lives, Rules and Other Writings of Saint Pachomius and His Disciples. In
three volumes. Translated by Armand Veilleux. Kalamazoo, Michigan; Cistercian, 1980–82.89
Palladius. The Lausiac History. Ancient Christian Writers, Number 34. Translated by Robert T. Meyer.
New York: Newman, 1964.
Paphnutius. Histories of the Monks of Upper Egypt and the Life of Onnophrius. Translated by Tim
Vivian. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications, 1993.
Pseudo-Athanasius. The Life of the Blessed and Holy Syncletica. Part One: The Translation, by Elizabeth
Bryson Bongie. Eugene, Ore.: Wipf and Stock, 2003.

Rubenson, Samuel. The Letters of St. Anthony: Monasticism and the Making of a Saint. Minneapolis:
Fortress, 1995.
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection. Translated by Benedicta Ward.
Kalamazoo, Michigan: Cistercian, 1975.
Stewart, Columba. Cassian the Monk. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Swan, Laura. The Forgotten Desert Mothers: Sayings, Lives and Stories of Early Christian Women.
Mahwah, N.J., 2001.
Theodoret of Cyrrhus. A History of the Monks of Syria. Translated by R.M. Price. Kalamazoo, Mich.:
Cistercian Publications, 1985.
Ward, Benedicta. Harlots of the Desert: A Study of Repentance in Early Monastic Sources. Kalamazoo,
Michigan; Cistercian, 1987.
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers: Systematic Sayings from the Anonymous Series of the Apophthegmata
Patrum. Translated by Sister Benedicta Ward. Oxford, SLG Press, 1986.
The World of the Desert Fathers: Stories and Sayings from the Anonymous Series of the Apophthegmata
Patrum. Translated by Columba Stewart. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications, 1986.

Heroes of The Desert PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Heroes of The Desert PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A

NOW YOU KNOW MEDIA

Heroes of the Desert: The

Now You Know Media Copyright Notice:

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 2

Program Summary ............................................................................................................... 5

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 3

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 4

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 5

About Your Presenter

Father Philip G. Bochanski is a Catholic priest and a member of the

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 6

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 7

Topic 1: Why the Desert?

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 8

III. The Battle against the Self

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 9

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 10

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 11

Topic 2: The Development of Monasticism

III. The Monastic Vocabulary

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 12

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 13

V. Why did the coenobitic life develop?

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 14

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 15

Topic 3: Daily Life in the Desert

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 16

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 17

B. External penances had a deeper meaning.

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 18

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 19

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 20

Topic 4: The Life of Antony

II. Antony was born near Herakleopolis Magna in A.D. 251.

III. His parents we well-to-do Christians, who owned some property.

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 21

2. He entrusted his sister to a community of holy women—probably not what we would

V. He started this on the outskirts of his own town.

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 22

C. Eventually he barricaded himself in the fort in order to achieve complete solitude.

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 23

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 24

Topic 5: Father of Monks

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 25

C. He remained here for the rest of his life.

V. He only left the Inner Mountain on two occasions:

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 26

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 27

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 28

Topic 6: The Wisdom of Anthony

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 29

II. “We have enemies, powerful and crafty—the wicked demons.”

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 30

C. On renunciation of the world:

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 31

1. Is it surprising to hear the “Father of Monks”—someone so experienced and so holy—speak of the

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 32

WWW.NOWYOUKNOWMEDIA.COM / 1-800-955-3904 / ©2012 33

Topic 7: The Words of the Fathers

III. Travel Journals/Histories

IV. Monastic Rules

V. Works of Ascetical Theology