Thursday, May 9, 2024

It is the 9th of May 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Monks and Monasteries have something of a dubious reputation on the Protestant side of the church. After all, wasn’t it the grueling legalism of the monastery that led Luther to rediscover the doctrines of grace? Aren’t we called to love our neighbors and not hide away in some remote place feeling all temptations? Yesterday’s topic, John Michael Talbot, might disagree and, in fact, would actively celebrate the man we remember today.

But we should also remember that the first “monk” was St. Antony, whose life was written by the great St. Athanasius, and it was in the imitation of Christ that he went out into the desert to pray. Beyond that, the monastery would become a center of education, transcription, and translation. We don’t have the Bibles and books from antiquity if not for these centers of prayer and learning. But how did we go from a solitary man or woman in the desert to monasteries that would house dozens, even hundreds of like-minded devotees? Enter Pachomius, whose feast day in the Coptic church is today, the 9th of May. I want to note two things: first, “Coptic” is just a fancy way of saying “Egyptian,” and secondly, the Orthodox, Catholic, and many Protestant churches all recognize Pachomius for his contribution to the church.

He was born to pagan parents in Egypt around 290. This being the tail end of the “crisis of the 3rd century,” he would be conscripted by the Roman army. We have various tales about his time in the army- one story has him fighting with Constantine at the famous battle of Milvian Bridge, while another states that he never saw battle (an important point for those who thought Christians couldn’t be soldiers). He is said to have been treated well by a group of Christians while in the army and decided to learn more about them when he was discharged. He would convert, be baptized, and then seek out the hermit Palemon to learn the ways of desert monasticism. But this solitary life did not suit him- accordingly, and perhaps by means of an angel disguised as a monk with a bronze tablet (sometimes we let medieval sources get all medieval), he laid out the first monastic rule- and in it, he would teach the “cenobitic” lifestyle- that is, of the common life. His monastery on the banks of the Nile would hold some one hundred men who wanted to live lives of prayer and devotion, but together. Having been in the army, he devised ways to feed and train many men living together- arranging them into groups and assigning different tasks. Some who had lived as hermits or heard the stories of some of the desert fathers thought that Pachomius’ rule (now lost to posterity) wasn’t strict enough, but Pachomius was apparently careful to watch out for the one who might be discouraged, and thus while extreme privation was permitted it wasn’t required. In his lifetime, a number of these cenobitic houses were set up for both men and women, 9 for men and two for women. They called Pachomius “Abba,” the father of the movement, and this would give rise to the titles of Abbot and Abbess for those in charge of these communal monasteries and nunneries.

They were not entirely cut off from society- they sell meat and produce at the local market and give some to charity. St. Athanasius wanted to ordain Pachomius, but he refused, instead having priests come out to the homes to perform the mass. It was St. Jerome who heard of Pachomius and translated his rule and life into Latin, which made him popular in the Latin West, where he would be the influence for St. Benedict, the great popularizer of the monastic rule and common life. If you see the iconography of Pachomius, you will likely see him standing on a crocodile- the story goes that he was friendly with animals (a common saintly trait), and a pet crocodile would ferry him up and down the Nile to visit his various monasteries.

Today, St. Pachomius is given a feast day amongst the Coptic church as the father of cenobitic monasteries: doing life alone, together, and for the cause of Christ and prayer for the world. Born around 290, Pachomius died in 346 around the age of 56.

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary, it is Ascension day and so we read from Luke 24

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 9th of May 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who reminds you that the alligator has a broad U-shaped snout while the Crocodile has a thinner V shape, is bigger, and is more aggressive. He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man reminding you that crocodiles can be cannibals and kill up to 1,000 humans a year- I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.