The Eremitical Tradition

General Resources

Class outline on the desert hermits

Study questions for the Life of Antony

Inner Light Productions Home Page

Sayings of the Desert Fathers and pictures of hermitages

Egypt

St. Antony of Egypt, Abbot

History of the Coptic Language

The Desert Mothers:A Survey of the Feminine Anchoretic Tradition in Western Europe by Margot King. The scope of this paper goes beyond the period covered by this unit, but the topic is nonetheless relevant to the desert tradition.

Primary Sources

Palladius: Lausiac History

The Life of Abba John Khame

 

Athanasius: Life of Antony

 

The Life of Paulus the first hermit ; see also the version at Christian Classics.

Selected Sayings from the Saints and Fathers

The Life of our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt

Lest one think there were only Desert "Fathers," here is a life of one of the most famous Desert "Mothers."

Dorotheus of Gaza: Conferences (Spanish translation)

Aphrahat: Demonstration VI: of monks

Canons of the Council of Gangra

Paradise of the Desert Fathers (Lives of the Desert Fathers)

Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Life of Simeon the Stylite in French (an eastern saint)

The Life of Hilarion by Jerome

 

The Transmission of the Desert Tradition

Catholic Encyclopedia: John Cassian

Dr. Dee Russell's links on Cassian

Cassian's Conferences

Cassian's Institutes

The Eremitical Life after the Desert Hermits

Dr. Vess's Virtual Tour of the Hermitage of Robert of Knaresborough

hermitage of a twelfth-century English Hermit.

Dr. Vess's Virtual Tour of St. Finbarr's Hermitage

Remains of a seventh-century hermitige in Gouganne Barre, Ireland

St. Kevin of Glendalough's Hermitage on the Upper Lake

from Dr. Vess's virtual tour of Glendalough, Ireland

Raven's Bread. Food for those in Solitude
Yes, there is even a newsletter for hermits!