Monasticism, Nile Valley

The following entry offers an overview of the monastic movement in the Nile Valley. It examines Egypt, the cradle of monasticism, and Nubia, a territory considered peripheral to the Christian world despite being Egypt's neighbor. It offers a synopsis of the historical development of monasteries in Egypt as well as general information on their organization. Nubian monasticism is more obscure since the sources, particularly written, are scarce. Nevertheless, the entry contains information about various types of monasticism and ascetic life that existed in the Middle Nile Valley with focus on cenobia, and their spatial and social organization.