Saint Pachomius was born in Thebes, Egypt, in the last decades of the 3rd century. His parents were pagans. However, during his service in the army he encountered Christians and began to recognize the truth of the Christian faith. From an early age, he showed signs of a charismatic and gifted personality.
He faced severe temptations, which he always managed to overcome through prayer and a life of strict asceticism. He shared his experiences with other monks, warning them against the dangers of passions.
Pachomius was raised in a wealthy family and received an excellent education. At the age of twenty, he went to the army, where he met many Christians whose care and compassion for all people made a deep impression on him.
After leaving the army, he decided to become a Christian himself. He was baptized and chose to live in an abandoned temple, where he worked and helped the poor. His reputation for piety soon spread widely.
Seeking solitude and a spiritual guide to lead him into the mysteries of faith, Saint Pachomius found the elder Palamon, who accepted him as a disciple after many trials. Pachomius became a monk, and together with his elder, they prayed and labored diligently in asceticism.
After Palamon’s death, Pachomius became the abbot of the monastic community. His brother John joined him, and together they lived a life of strict devotion.
Pachomius endured great temptations, which he overcame with prayer and patience. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, calling him to serve others by building a monastery for their salvation. He welcomed the first monks and cared for them, establishing rules for the monastic way of life.
Many came to him wishing to become monks. He built a church for the local people and took care of their spiritual needs.
Saint Pachomius founded a monastic community where all the monks lived according to strict rules, working and praying together. He cared for the sick and organized the life of the brotherhood with great attention to each monk individually. His labor and humility became a model for all.
