The Desert Fathers and the Sinai Desert
In the early centuries of the Christian era, thousands of men and women went to live in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and other parts of the Middle East, both as hermits and in communities. The monks in Sinai today represent a Christian way of life that has survived for centuries in the wilderness. The desert traditions followed by the Desert Fathers may be briefly summarised in the following way:
1. Simplicity of life
2. Waiting for God
3. A struggle against darkness
A monk came to Basil of Caesarea and said "Speak a word, Father." Some of the words of the great spiritual leaders of the desert have been passed down to us. The following is a small collection to try and give an insight into their way of thinking.
One of the monks called Serapion sold his book of the Gospels and gave the money to those who were hungry, saying: I have sold the books which told me to sell all that I had and give to the poor.
A certain brother went to Abbot Moses in Scete and asked him for a good word And the elder said to him: Go sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything.
It was said of Abbot Agatho that for three years he carried a stone in his mouth until he learned to be silent.
A brother asked one of the elders How does fear of the Lord get into a man? And the elder said: If a man has humility and poverty, and judge not another, that is how fear of the Lord gets into him.
An elder said: Here is the monk's life work obedience meditation not judging others not reviling not complaining. For it is written: You who love the Lord hate evil So this is the monk's life - not to walk in agreement with an unjust man, nor to look with his eyes upon evil, nor to go about being curious, and neither to examine nor to listen to the business of others. Not to take anything with his hands, but rather to give to others in his thoughts. Not to fill his stomach but in all things to behave with discretion Behold in all this you have the monk.
The Sinai desert and in particular St Catherine's monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai is one place where it is possible to visit and understand more about the desert fathers,
About the Author
Steve Phillips learnt about the Sinai desert from Emma Loveridge who is the founder of the specialist tour operator Wind, Sand & Stars. The company received a highly coveted environmental award early in its life for its ethical working partnership with the Bedouin tribes in South Sinai, Egypt. http://www.emmaloveridge.com
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