(s). Oriental Monachism.—The monastic institute was im ported early in the 4th century from Egypt into Syria. The most celebrated was the life of the Stylites or pillar hermits (see SIMEON STYLITES). Monastic life here tended to revert to the eremitical form, and to this day Syrian and Armenian monks are to be found dwelling in caverns and desert places, and given up wholly to the practice of austerity and contemplation (see E. C. Butler, Lausiac History of Palladius, pt. i. p. 239). Before the close of the 4th century monachism spread into Persia, Baby lonia and Arabia.
(6). Basilian and Greek Monachism.—Though Eustathius of Sebaste was the first to introduce the monastic life within the confines of Greek Christianity in Asia Minor (c. 34o), it was St. Basil who adapted it to Greek and European ideas and needs (see BASILIAN MONKS). St. Basil's standards have remained the standards of Greek and Slavonic monasticism.
(7). Early Western Monachism.—The knowledge of the mo nastic life was carried to western Europe by St. Athanasius, who in 34o went to Rome accompanied by two monks. Monasticism soon became common in Rome and throughout Italy, and before long spread to Gaul and to northern Africa (see E. C. Butler, op. cit. pt. i. p. 245 ; also Hannay, op. cit. ch. 7).
(8). St. Benedict's Monachism.—St. Benedict (c. 500) ef
fected a permanently working adaptation of the monastic ideal and life to the conditions of Western races. The life was to he self-denying and hard, but not one of any great austerity (see BENEDICT OF NURSIA ; and E. C. Butler, Benedictine Mona chism). The individual monk was sunk in the community, whose corporate life he had to live. St. Benedict's rule was a new creation in monastic history (see F. A. Gasquet, Sketch of Monastic Constitu tional History). St. Benedict defines his monastery as "a school of the service of the Lord" (Reg., Prol.). The great act of service is the public common celebration of the canonical office, the "work of God" he calls it, to which is to be pre ferred" (Reg. c. 43). The rest of the day is filled up with a round of work and read Work (and in St. Benedict's time it was predominantly field work) took a more important place in the life than was the case under St. Pachomius or St. Basil, notably more time than the church services. St. Benedict introduced, too, the idea of law and order, of rule binding on the abbot no less than on the monks; thus he reduced almost to a point the element of arbitrariness found in the earlier rules. Lastly he introduced the idea of stability, whereby monk and community were bound to each other for life.