Pachomius, << puh KOH mee uhs, >> Saint (290?-346), a Christian monk from Egypt, founded the first Christian religious communities called monasteries. Pachomius organized the first monastery in 320. He eventually established nine monasteries for men as well as two for women.
Pachomius’ monasteries were groups of connected buildings walled off from the outside world where monks and nuns lived under militarylike discipline. Pachomius emphasized manual labor, ascetic practices, common prayer, and strict obedience to the monastery’s leaders. In addition, he developed regulations, called a rule, to meet the economic and spiritual needs of his monastic communities. Pachomius’ rule became the model for all later monastic rules, notably those prepared by Saint Basil and Saint Benedict. In 404, Saint Jerome translated Pachomius’ rule into Latin. In this form, it significantly influenced the development of monasticism in the West.
Pachomius was born near Isna, Egypt. He converted to Christianity about 313 and became a hermit. His feast day is May 9.
See also Monasticism (Christian monasticism) ; Religious life (Religious life in early Christianity) .
