Spiritual guidance through monastic rules. Sins, penitence and punishment in Pacomian monastic life (IV-V centuries A.D.)

Abstract

In an outline of influences of monastic practices on ecclesiastical institutions and also in a dynamic of institutionalization of the monastic way of life, this article deals with the different ways of handling the spiritual fatherhood through the confession and the expiation of sins and the discipline, based on the guidance of the monks and on monastic rules (IV-V centuries). In particular, the spiritual direction in the monasteries of Pachom is accomplished by the monastic rules. This analysis is fundamental because of the inheritance that Pachomian canons bequeath and it could be useful towards understanding the use of rules in other Coptic monasteries, in particular the structure of shenoutian monasticism’s discipline.