rm, and the
religious disunion in the East continued until these lands were lost to
the empire.

IV. MONASTICISM

*The origin of monasticism.* Monasticism (from the Greek _monos_,
"single"), which became so marked a feature of the religious life of the
Middle Ages, had its origin in the ascetic tendencies of the early
Christian church, which harmonized with the eastern religious and
philosophic ideal of a life of pure contemplation. The chief
characteristics of early Christian asceticism were celibacy, fasting,
prayer, surrender of worldly goods, and the adoption of a hermit's life.
This renouncement of a worldly life was practised by large numbers of both
men and women, especially in Egypt. It was there that organized monastic
life began early in the fourth century under the influence of St. Anthony
in northern and Pachomius in southern Egypt.

*Anthony and Pachomius in Egypt.* Anthony was the founder of a monastic
colony, which was a direct development from the eremitical life. He laid
down no rule for the guidance of the lives of the monks, but permitted the
maximum of individual freedom. It was Pachomius who first established a
truly cenobitical monastery, in which the monks lived a common life under
the direction of a single head, the abbot, according to a prescribed rule
with fixed religious exercises and daily labor. The organization of
convents for women accompanied the foundation of the monasteries. However,
the Antonian type of monkhood continued to be the more popular in Egypt,
where monasticism flourished throughout the fourth, but began to decline
in the fifth, century.

*Eastern monasticism.* From Egypt the movement spread to Palestine, but in
Syria and Mesopotamia there was an independent development from the local
eremitical ideals. Characteristic of Syrian asceticism were the pillar
hermits who passed their lives upon the top of lofty pillars. The founder
of the Greek monasticism was Basil (c. 360 A. D.), who copied Pachomius in
organizing a fully cenobitical life. He discouraged excessive asceticism
and emphasized the value of useful toil. The eastern monks were noted for
their fanaticism and they took a very prominent part in the religious
disorders of the time. The abuses of the early, unregulated monastic life
led to the formulation of monastic rules and the subjection of the monks
to the authority of the bishops.

*Monasticism in the west: Benedict.* Monastic