From Monachos.net
St Pachomius (293? – 346) was a Christian ascetic and is remembered as founder of cenobitic monasticism. By way of brief introduction to the nature of his Rule, which is properly a collection of prescriptions of the ordering of a monastery, perhaps no briefer paragraph is better suited than a word from the Encyclopaedia of Religion on Pachomius:
"Pachomius was not a great theoretical teacher of asceticism, but he was a great organizer of its practice. His teachings were directed to the ordering of the monks' lives by strict canons. These canons were meant to insure the good operation of the cloister and to make the separation from the world pronounced, including regulating the travels of the monks and visits from the laity. The canons imposed uniformity on the monks' way of life, dress, and nourishment even when the monks were outside the monastery."
The full text of the Rule
The longer Rule of Pachomius, translated from the Latin of Jerome, is found here in four parts:
- The first section of the main body of the Rule; includes prescriptions and guidance on various aspects of the monastery, monastic life, receiving candidates, demeanour, dress, travel, work, prayer, singing, memorisation of scripture, etc.
- Additional prescriptions community life, especially relating to disputes and problems. This section also includes Pachomius' long treatment of the proper qualities of the chairman (abbot) of a monastic community.
- Specific sentences on various difficulties and problems encountered in a monastic community, including the definition of these problems and appropriate responses / reprimands.
- Additional prescriptions on the communal life of prayer, and the mutual support of the community.
An introduction by Jerome
Additionally, an ancient introduction to Pachomius' Rule exists, written by St Jerome as the preface to his translation into Latin. We provide this for interested readers:
See also:
- See also the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia.