Based on: Desert Hermits, Byzant. MS. illum., ca, 1081 Princeton Univ. Library. imge modif .



  MONKS
 and NUNS
 of the
 EGYPTIAN
DESERT

 

The communities of NITRIA (ca. 330), KELLIA (ca. 338), and SCETIS (ca 330), south of Alexandria.

 

The site of Antony’s fort on the Nile and his hermitage on the Red Sea (ca. 313)

 

Pachomius’ Nile-side foundations in the Thebaid (ca. 320):  completely cenobitic, modelled on the Imperial  army

 

 

 

The ancient monastic site of NITRIA was founded by Amoun in 330. Sadly, no archeological remnants of Nitria exist.  All evidence of the original monastic buildings has been eradicated by modern agriculture: water rapidly destroys ancient ruins made of baked mud.

 

 



KELLIA (The Cells)

 

 

Kellia, also called The Cells, was founded by Amoun in 338, about six miles south of Nitria.  According to legend, Amoun founded this hermit colony on the advice and with with the assistance of Antony.  The purpose of Kellia was to provide a site near Nitria for monks who desired greater solitude

 

 

 

An archeological plan of Kellia, showing excavated sites and (in green) the hydrological danger from agriculture (90% of the site has been destroyed).  The tiny black dots are individual hermitages, of which there were more than 1500 by the seventh century.  The area marked with a red square (Qusur Al ’Izayla) is enlarged below to show the individual hermitages and churches of the area.

 

The 130 cells and churches of the Qusur Al ’Izayla site.

 

Plan of 7th-century cell with enclosed garden and well.

 

 

Much more primitive fourth-century hermit’s cell in Kellia: effectively a trench in the ground with mud-brick walls and a  mud-brick roof.

 

Diagram of an excavated fourth-century  cell.  Note the niche in the wall with an ornamental cross.

 

In the later tradition stylized crosses were the only ornamentation.

 



SCETIS (Wadi Natrun)

 

 

 

Scetis, in the Wadi Natrun valley, was founded in 330 by Macarius the Egyptian.  

The four monasteries of the Wadi Natrun, shown here, have recently become impotant centers in the revitalization of  Coptic church life 

Monastic life still flourishes in the communities of:
(1) Baramus (the Romans); (2) the Syrian Monastery; (3) St. Bishoi (Pshoi); and (4) St. Macarius. 

St. Bishoi Monastery, Wadi-Natrun

 

 

This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 1990....x....  .