Pachomius, St.

, a celebrated abbot of Tabenna in Egypt, was born about the year 292, of heathen parents. He bore arms at the age of twenty, and was so touched with the charitable works of some Christians, that he returned to Thebais when the war ended, and embraced Christianity. He afterwards placed himself under the direction of a solitary named Palemon, and made so astonishing a progress in religion with this excellent master, that he became founder of the monastery of Tabenna, on the banks of the Nile, peopled Thebais with holy solitaries, and had above 5000 monks under his care. His sister founded a convent of nuns on the other side of the Nile, who lived in a community, and practised great austerities. St. Pachomius died May 3, 348. We have some of his “Epistles” remaining, a “Rule,” and some other pieces in the library of the fathers. M. Arnauld D’Andilly has, translated a life of him into French, which may be found among those of the fathers of the desert. ²