Q: Who started the nonsense of living in monasteries, cut off from the world, steeped in superstitious practices?
A: Pachomius (292–348)--"founder of Christian cenobitic (communal) monasticism, whose rule (book of observances) for monks is the earliest. His Rule greatly influenced the later work of Basil the Great (14 Jun 379) and Benedict (11 Jul 547) who are accounted the founders of Eastern and Western monasticism respectively.
Pachomius was swept up against his will in a Roman army recruitment drive, a common occurrence during this period of turmoil and civil war. With several other youths, he was put onto a ship that
floated down the Nile and arrived at Thebes in the evening. Here he first encountered local Christians, who customarily brought food and comfort daily to the impressed troops. This made a lasting impression, and Pachomius vowed to investigate Christianity further when he got out. He was able to leave the army without ever having to fight, was converted and baptized (314).
Pachomius then came into contact with several well known ascetics and decided to pursue that path under the guidance of the hermit named Palaemon (317). One of his devotions, popular at the time, was praying with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross.
Pachomius set out to lead the life of a hermit near St. Anthony of Egypt, whose practices he imitated until Pachomius heard a voice in Tabennisi that told him to build a dwelling for the hermits to come to.
An earlier ascetic named Macarius had created a number of proto-monasteries called lavra, or cells where holy men would live in a community setting who were physically or mentally unable to achieve the rigors of Anthony's solitary life.
Pachomius set about organizing these cells into a formal organization. Until then, Christian
asceticism had been solitary or eremitic with male or female monastics living in individual huts or caves and meeting only for occasional worship services. Pachomius created the community or cenobitic organization, in which male or female monastics lived together and held their property in common under the leadership of an abbot or abbess.
The Lord revealed to him the future of monasticism. The saint learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, Pachomius wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward, since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.”
The number of monks reached 7,000, all under the guidance of Pachomius, who visited all the monasteries and administered them. So great was the silence that reigned among them while every one followed his employment, that in the midst of so great a multitude, a person seemed to be in a solitude.
The community hailed Pachomius as "Abba" (father), from which "Abbot" derives.
His sister Maria came to see Pachomius, but the strict ascetic refused to see her. Through the gate keeper, he blessed her to enter upon the path of monastic life, promising his help with this. Maria wept, but did as her brother had ordered. The Tabennisi monks built her a hut on the opposite side of the River Nile. Nuns also began to gather around Maria. Soon a women’s monastery was formed
with a strict monastic Rule provided by Pachomius.
And when a nun dies, her sisters, the nuns, wrap her in linen; and having wrapped her in, they bring her to the bank of the river, and the brethren cross over on a raft with palm branches and olive boughs, and bring her across with psalm-singing to themselves, and bury her in their burial-place. With the exception of priest and deacon alone, nobody crosses over into the women cloister, and this takes place on each Sabbath of the Christians.
Pachomius continued as abbot to the cenobites for some forty years. During an epidemic (probably plague), Pachomius called the monks, strengthened their faith, and appointed his successor. Pachomius then died 9 May 348 A.D.
Among many miracles attributed to Pachomius, that though he had never learned the Greek or Latin tongues, he sometimes miraculously spoke them.
Pachomius is also credited with being the first Christian to use and recommend use of a prayer rope."
Wikipedia/OCA/EncyclopdiaBritanica/C2000
And while they eat they shall cover their heads with their hoods, so that one brother does not see the other chewing. And there shall be no conversation while they eat......."
....and commandments of men,
A: Pachomius (292–348)--"founder of Christian cenobitic (communal) monasticism, whose rule (book of observances) for monks is the earliest. His Rule greatly influenced the later work of Basil the Great (14 Jun 379) and Benedict (11 Jul 547) who are accounted the founders of Eastern and Western monasticism respectively.
Pachomius was swept up against his will in a Roman army recruitment drive, a common occurrence during this period of turmoil and civil war. With several other youths, he was put onto a ship that
Pachomius then came into contact with several well known ascetics and decided to pursue that path under the guidance of the hermit named Palaemon (317). One of his devotions, popular at the time, was praying with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross.
Pachomius set out to lead the life of a hermit near St. Anthony of Egypt, whose practices he imitated until Pachomius heard a voice in Tabennisi that told him to build a dwelling for the hermits to come to.
An earlier ascetic named Macarius had created a number of proto-monasteries called lavra, or cells where holy men would live in a community setting who were physically or mentally unable to achieve the rigors of Anthony's solitary life.
Pachomius set about organizing these cells into a formal organization. Until then, Christian
The Lord revealed to him the future of monasticism. The saint learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, Pachomius wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward, since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.”
The number of monks reached 7,000, all under the guidance of Pachomius, who visited all the monasteries and administered them. So great was the silence that reigned among them while every one followed his employment, that in the midst of so great a multitude, a person seemed to be in a solitude.
The community hailed Pachomius as "Abba" (father), from which "Abbot" derives.
His sister Maria came to see Pachomius, but the strict ascetic refused to see her. Through the gate keeper, he blessed her to enter upon the path of monastic life, promising his help with this. Maria wept, but did as her brother had ordered. The Tabennisi monks built her a hut on the opposite side of the River Nile. Nuns also began to gather around Maria. Soon a women’s monastery was formed
And when a nun dies, her sisters, the nuns, wrap her in linen; and having wrapped her in, they bring her to the bank of the river, and the brethren cross over on a raft with palm branches and olive boughs, and bring her across with psalm-singing to themselves, and bury her in their burial-place. With the exception of priest and deacon alone, nobody crosses over into the women cloister, and this takes place on each Sabbath of the Christians.
Pachomius continued as abbot to the cenobites for some forty years. During an epidemic (probably plague), Pachomius called the monks, strengthened their faith, and appointed his successor. Pachomius then died 9 May 348 A.D.
Among many miracles attributed to Pachomius, that though he had never learned the Greek or Latin tongues, he sometimes miraculously spoke them.
Pachomius is also credited with being the first Christian to use and recommend use of a prayer rope."
Wikipedia/OCA/EncyclopdiaBritanica/C2000
some of The Rules Of Pachomius:
"The ordinance which the angel of the Lord commanded to Abba Pachomius.....And they shall clothe themselves with a sleeveless linen undergarment and a leather girdle, [From the Greek: And let each one of them have a wooly blanket made of a white goat skin], and without this they shall not eat......And while they eat they shall cover their heads with their hoods, so that one brother does not see the other chewing. And there shall be no conversation while they eat......."
....and commandments of men,
that turn from the truth.
And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Titus 1:14/2 Corinthians 11:14
So all this nonsense, which would eventually develop the contemplative prayer mysticism that has poisoned Christendom, all started when an "angel" supposedly appeared to some dude in the Egyptian deserts almost 3 centuries after Christ? Why wasn't this instructed by the angelic host to the disciples following Christ's death?.....Because it's not from God, that's why...