The Desert a City: An Introduction to the Study of Egyptian and Palestian Monasticism Under the Christian Empire

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This study of early Christian monasticism by Derwas Chitty has already proved to be a classic. No other account of this vital period in the history of the monastic movement equals it for detailed scholarship combined with vivid and dynamic writing. Dr. Chitty, one of the major scholars in this period, deals with the golden age of Egyptian monasticism and describes the three founders of the movement, Anastasius, Anthony and Pachomius. He follows the development of monastic life in all its forms in Egypt to the end of the fourth century, when the center shifted to Palestine; the following chapters are devoted to accounts of the great ascetics of Palestine. The controversies surrounding the monastic movement are examined in their political and ecclesiastical aspects and the book concludes with an account of the monastic history of Mount Sinai. This book contains a wealth of material indispensable to any serious student of monasticism; it is also a book which will bring alive for any reader the great questions underlying monasticism in any age. As Dr. Chitty writes in his prologue, 'This making a City of the Wilderness was no mere flight...it was rooted in a stark realism of faith in God and acceptance of the battle which is not against flesh and blood... Has it not its challenge for today?' AcrNowrsocMxNTS AsnnrvrarroNs Pnorocun L Tns CaLr PAGB ix xi The Three Heads-Athanasius, Antony, Pachomius. The Call of Antony, and his LiG up to the Peace of the Church. The Conversion of Pachomius, and his Life up to the foundation of the Coenobium at Tabennesi. Amoun and the foundation of Nitria. Macarius the Egyptian and Scetis. Hilarion and the Gaza region. Chariton and the {irst Judaean lavrx. Antony itt his Interior Mountain. II. THn lNsrrrutror.r ru. TUE-Wonro Bnraxs hs Antony in relation to other communities. His Letters. Meletian monks'near his Outer Monastery. Character and extension of the Pachomian Coenobium. Early Pachomian literature. Geography and organization of Niria, the Cells, and Scetis. Pachomius' death, and Athanasius' homecoming, in a.o. 346. Extension of Coenobiurn under Theodore. Antony's death (4.o. 356). Athanasius in the Thebaid. Theodore's death (,r.o. 368). Antony's successors. Foreign visitors and monks in Egypt and Palestine. Jerome and Rufinus and their companioru. Evagrius Ponticus-his life, wrirings, and influence. Palladius. Historia Monachorum in Aegypio. Cassian. The Golden Age of Nitria and Sceris. The Paiiiirch Theophilus and the destrucrion of the pagan temples. StriG over Origen, in Palestine and in Egypt. The end of an age in Nitria. Barbarian devastation of Scetis (,r.o. 4o7-8). IV. Annn TITREE GsNnnerroNs . Melania the Younger on Olivet (,r.o. ar7-39). Decadence in Scetis and the Tabennesiote Community. Apophthegmata Patrum. Return to Scetis, and second Devastation (c. a.o. 434). Poemen and his brothers. Movements away &om Scetis before and after the Devastations. Porphyry of Gazz. Sisoes. Silvanus and his disciples. The Abba Esaias and his writings. His attitude to Chalcedon. ,r. NEur BncrNNrNcs . """:t*tt Euthymius comes to Palestine, A.D. 4oj: founds his Lavra, a.o.428. His system. His {irst twelve disciples. Contrasts with Xgypt. Hesychius ofJerusalem. Passarion.'Melania's chaplain G.r#tiut on Olivet. Peter the Iberian comes to Jerusalem, e.o. 428. His monastic beginnings. Eudocia. Revolt against Juvend after Chalcedon. Peter a bishop. Euthymius stands firm. Return of Juvcnal and dispersal of rebels-Peter goes to Egypt, and consecrates Timothy the Cat. Euthymius reconciles Eudocia and others to Chalcedon, but resistance continues. Martyrius and Elias come from Nitria to Jerusalem. Monasric establishments in Jerusalem. Arrival of young aspirants. Anasrasius succecds Juvenal as Patriarch. Eudocia's death. Euthymius' last years. His death, A.D. 473. His place in monastic history. VI. Barrrs FoR rHB Ferrs Sabas in solitude. Chalcedon at its nadir. Partial reunion on terms of the Henotikon: Marcian of Bethlehem. Euthymius' Lavra converted into a coenobium. Peter the Iberian returns to Palestine. His last years. John Rufus, his biographer. His death in a.o. 489. Severus enrers rhe monasric ltfe. Zacharias of Mirvlene. The Dionysian writings. Early years of Mar Saba (from a.o. 478). ,St. Theodosi.s Ld his'ioenobium ('Deir [)osi'). Diocesan adminjstration of the monasteries. Hostelries in Jerusalem andJericho. Development of the Great Lavra of Mar Saba. The New Lavra and other Sabaite foundations. Severus and Sabas in Constantinople. The Judaean monks as champiorx of Chalcedon against Severus and the Emperor Anastasius. Triunrph of Chalcedon under Justin. Death of Theodosius. Sabas on embassy to Constantinople after the Samaritan Revolt. His last years and death (a.o. 532). VII. Tnn MorvasrERrrs uNDERJusrrNrAN Early liG of Cyril of Scythopolis. Growth of Origenism in the Judaean monasteries, and its fortunes up ro A.D. J43. Cyril enrers the monastic life. His conracrs with Cvriac the Anchorite. Decline and fall of Origenist power. The Fifth Council (A.D. J j3). Cyril at the New Lavra. Death of Cyriac. Cyril's Biographies. The Gaza Monks. Varsanuphius andJohn. Dorotheus. Zori-as. Vm. Tnr ENo oF rHE Pax RouaNa A retrospective age. John Moschus and his Meadow. Daniel of Scetis. Moschus and Sophronius at Deir Dosi. Choziba. The Lifc of St. George of Ch2ziba. Jerusalem and St. Gregory of Rome. Story of St. Mary of Egypt. Phocas' usurpation and murder of the Emperor Maurice. Moschus and Sophronius in Egypt. St. John the Almoner. Fall ofJerusalem to the Persians. Sacli bf Mar Saba. Modctus as Locum Tenens in Jerusalem. The Pandect of Antiochus the Sabaite. Moschus and Sophronius in thc 'Wct. Anastasius the Persian. Heraclius brings back the Cross to Jerusalem. Modestus becomes Patriarch, and dies. Sophronius as teacher of Maximus in Africa. He returns to Jerusalem and becomes Patriarch (4.o. 6J4). His Synodical a decisive document agairst the Monothelete compromise, He surrenders Jerusalem to the Arabs (February, a.n. 638). [X. A Flrcn Mourqrarx Apanr Sinai's monastic history from the fourth century. Justinian's Church and fortress. Gregory hegumen of Sinai, then Patriarch of Antioch (e.o. 57o). Moschus. St. Gregory of Rome. The Account of the Martyrs of Sinai and Rhaithou. The Narratives of Nilus. Narratives'of Anastasius of Sinai. The Ladder of St. Tohn Climacus. The'Viae Dux' and other works under the name tf ^A,o"tt"ri* of Sinai. The Christian tribes in the peninsula forced to accept Islam. Death of the one surviving Christian. vu PAGI r68 PAGE 8z TOI Eprrocun lNorx oF PERSoNS Iuorx oF PLAcES Suryncr Iuorx CnnoNorocrcAr, TABLE BrsuOCnapgy 216