Ammonas
Encyclopedia
Ammonas or Amoun was a 4th century Christian ascetic
and the founder of one of the most celebrated monastic communities in Egypt. Pushed into marriage by his family, he managed to persuade his bride to take a vow of chastity together with him by the authority of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians
. They lived together this way for 18 years, when at her wish, they parted, and he retired to Scetis and Mt. Nitria, to the south of Lake Mareotis, where he lived 22 years, visiting his sister-wife twice a year. He died before St. Antony (from whom there is an epistle to him), that is, before the year 365
, for the latter asserted that he "saw the soul of Amoun borne by angels to heaven", and as St. Athanasius's history of St. Antony preserves the order of time, he died perhaps about 320
. There are generally seventeen or nineteen Rules of Asceticism ascribed to him; the Greek original exists in manuscript; they were published in the Latin
version of Gerardus Vossius. Twenty-two Ascetic Institutions of the same Amoun, or one bearing the same name, exist also in manuscript.
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
and the founder of one of the most celebrated monastic communities in Egypt. Pushed into marriage by his family, he managed to persuade his bride to take a vow of chastity together with him by the authority of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians
Epistles to the Corinthians
There are two Epistles to the Corinthians in the Bible:* First Epistle to the Corinthians* Second Epistle to the CorinthiansThere is also a Third Epistle to the Corinthians, once considered canonical by the Armenian Apostolic Church, but now almost universally believed to be pseudepigraphical....
. They lived together this way for 18 years, when at her wish, they parted, and he retired to Scetis and Mt. Nitria, to the south of Lake Mareotis, where he lived 22 years, visiting his sister-wife twice a year. He died before St. Antony (from whom there is an epistle to him), that is, before the year 365
365
Year 365 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Valens...
, for the latter asserted that he "saw the soul of Amoun borne by angels to heaven", and as St. Athanasius's history of St. Antony preserves the order of time, he died perhaps about 320
320
Year 320 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Constantinus...
. There are generally seventeen or nineteen Rules of Asceticism ascribed to him; the Greek original exists in manuscript; they were published in the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
version of Gerardus Vossius. Twenty-two Ascetic Institutions of the same Amoun, or one bearing the same name, exist also in manuscript.