Rule of Pachomius and Pachomian Monasteries

Pachomius had an incalculable impact on the future of monasticism. Not only did he found many monasteries in Upper and Lower Egypt, but he also wrote the basic rules that monasteries would follow, which later became known as the Rule of Pachomius or the Pachomian Rules. These rules were compiled over a period of time and provided detailed order and structure for the Pachomian monasteries. Eventually the Rules were translated into Latin to be applied to other monastic societies that were forming around the world.

This diagram was drawn as an interpretation of the Pachomian Rules as listed in the book Christianity in Late Antiquity by Bart D Ehrman and Andrew S. Jacobs, 2004.  The translation used in this book is from Pachomian Koinonia, Vol. 2: Pachomian Chronicles and Rules translated by Armand Veilleux, 1981.  This map is how a Pachomian monastery was likely to be laid out.  Conclusions were drawn from the rules themselves but can be interpreted differently.

Coming soon: Click on an area of the map to see where it is referred to in the Pachomian rule.

	1. Synaxis
	2. Refectory/Dining hall
	3. Alcove
	4. Kitchen
	5. Bakery
	6. Oven
	7. Infirmary
	8. Shops
	9. House/Dorms/Cells
	10. Guest House
	11. Guest house wall
	12. Outer wall
	13. Orchard
	14. Fields
	15. Secluded residencies
	16. Boat
	17. Door
	18. Seats in Synaxis
	19. Altar
	20. Store Room
	21. Garden
	22. Mountain

Various positions of the monastery

Early Egyptian Monasticism introduction

The translation of Pachomius' rule used on the Fourth-Century Christianity website is a revised version of that found at the Patristics in English website: http://www.seanmultimedia.com/Pie_homepage.html
Translated by Esmeralda Ramirez de Jennings
Edited by Rev. Daniel R. Jennings
Paragraph numbers added by Rachael M. Schuman to correspond with Pachomian Koinonia, Vol. 2: Pachomian Chronicles and Rules, trans. Armand Veilleux. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Studies, 1981, pp. 145-67.

Map created by RMS
Created by RMS
Last updated:12/12/07 AJW
Copyright 2006 Wisconsin Lutheran College
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