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16-594: The Tall Brothers (also known as the Four Tall Brothers ) were four brothers among the Egyptian monks of Nitria in the fifth century by the names of Ammonius, Dioscorus, Eusebius, and Euthymius. They were referred to as the "Tall Brothers" because they were tall in stature and commanding in appearance. They were famous for their strict fasting, chastity, and knowledge of the Bible but were controversial for their support of

32-584: Is not as far in the desert at Scetis, and according to Historia Monachorum in Aegypto , it takes 24 hours to walk from Nitria to Scetis. Partial list of monks who inhabited Nitria. 30°55′43″N 30°23′08″E  /  30.928651°N 30.385628°E  / 30.928651; 30.385628 Kellia Kellia ("the Cells"), referred to as "the innermost desert", was a 4th-century Egyptian Christian monastic community spread out over many square kilometers in

48-418: Is probable there were many more. The structures range from single-cells for one person, to multiple cells for two or three people, to larger hermitages that included rooms for older monks, chapels and towers. In addition there were clusters of buildings that formed centers for communal services (Qasr Waheida), a complex of churches (Qasr Lsa 1), and a commercial center (Qasr al-lzeila). Buildings were made with

64-575: The Ancient Egyptian word "nṯrj". Natron refers to Wadi El Natrun (English: Natron Valley) in Egypt, where natron salt was mined by the ancient Copts and Egyptians. Natron was also used for washing garments. This led to the symbolism that Nitria is where men's sins were washed away . Although Nitria is often called the Mountain of Nitria , there is little geographical elevation difference between Nitria and

80-506: The Nitrian Desert about 65 km (40 mi) south of Alexandria . It was one of three centers of monastic activity in the region, along with Nitria and Scetis (Wadi El Natrun). It is called al-Muna in Arabic and was inhabited until the 9th century. Only archaeological sites remain there today. Founded in 338 C.E. by Saint Amun , under the spiritual guidance of Saint Anthony , it

96-401: The 4th century. By 390, it had evolved from a loose collection of solitary monks to an organized settlement of multiple cenobitic monasteries, and included bankers, merchants, and sellers. Jerome , who visited Nitria in 386, said that it had over five-thousand monks. Palladius of Galatia , who lived there in 390, gave a similar estimate in his Lausaic History . Christian pilgrims from

112-863: The 7th and 8th centuries due to doctrinal disputes in Egypt, and raids from nomads out of the Libyan desert to the west. During the reign of the Coptic patriarch Alexander II (705–730), there were schismatic Barsanuphians and Gaianites at Kellia. They were converted to the Coptic church by Bishop John of Sa El Hagar. The site was abandoned in the 9th century. Kellia was discovered by archaeologist Antoine Guillaumont in 1964, and has been excavated for over 25 years by French and Swiss teams. The site covers over 125 square kilometers, over which many small hills, or koms , were found. Once excavated they were found to contain many churches and living quarters, or cells named koms . Over 1500 structures have been identified but it

128-482: The Greek Historia Monachorum in Aegypto by Flavius Rufinus who personally saw it. The cells were arranged far enough apart that "no one can catch sight of another nor can a voice be heard". It was only for monks who had first mastered the art of desert living at Nitria. They came together on Saturday and Sunday to share a meal together, some journeying around 5 km (3.1 mi) from their cell to

144-460: The church. "They met in Church and, glimpsing this way and that, see one another as the heaven-restored." If a monk failed to appear they would know he was sick or died and eventually someone (individually) would bring food or help or collect the remains. It was believed in the 390s up to 600 monks were at Kellia. By the 5th and 6th centuries it numbered in the thousands. Activity began to taper off in

160-605: The contested theology of Origen of Alexandria . Opposed by Pope Theophilus I of Alexandria (the uncle of the future Saint Cyril of Alexandria ), the Tall Brothers fled to Constantinople, where they were received by Saint John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople , whose hospitality was later used to condemn and depose him at the Synod of the Oak in AD 403. Dioscorus, one of the Tall Brothers,

176-399: The early days. Anthony and Amun ate dinner then walked into the desert until sunset, prayed and planted a cross to mark the site of the new community. The distance was 19 km (12 mi), or what Anthony considered close enough to reach in an after-dinner stroll. Kellia was for advanced monks, for those who "lived a more remote life, stripped down to bare rudiments," as was recorded in

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192-571: The monasteries at Wadi El Natrun (formally known as Scetis), which are still in existence. Nitria was named after a nearby town which took its name from the natural deposits of natron , a salt used by the Ancient Egyptians in the embalming of mummies. The English and German word "natron" was first a French cognate which has its origin from the Spanish "natrón" through Latin "natrium" and Greek "nitron" (νίτρον). This root derives from

208-514: The nearby city of Alexandria visited Nitria in large numbers, the monks servicing their needs. Other monks sought more remote areas, away from tourists and merchants, and established a monastic center in Kellia c. 338. The monastic population in Nitria declined during the fifth and sixth centuries, and the site was abandoned sometime in the middle of the seventh century. Nitria should not be confused with

224-518: The surrounding region. It was likely called this referring to Matthew 5:14 where Jesus describes his followers as being a "city on a hill". The ancient site of Nitria was located by the archaeologist Hugh Evelyn-White (1884-1924) sometime between 1917 and 1922. It is located approximately 13.7 Kilometers southwest of Damanhur by the village of Al Barnuji , 19.3 Kilometers from Kellia , and about 50 Kilometers south of Alexandria . The coordinates of Nitria are 30.928651°N, 30.385628°E . Nitria

240-464: Was appointed Bishop of Hermopolis (a city near Nitria ) during the late 4th century and attended the Council of Constantinople in 394. However, he was later excommunicated due to his alleged Origenist sympathies. Dioscorus died in the early 5th century. Nitria (monastic site) Nitria was founded in c. 325-330 by Amoun of Nitria and quickly attracted thousands of monks through the remainder of

256-461: Was designed for those who wished to enter the cenobitic life in a semi-anchoritic monastery. An account of its founding, perhaps legendary, is in the Apophthegmata Patrum . Amun, who was then a monk at Nitria , one day talked with Anthony saying that he and some brothers wanted to move away "that they may live in peace". Nitrea had become too successful and they wished for the solitude of

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