A '''hermit''' (from the Greek erēmos, signifying "desert,", "uninhabited,", hence "desert-dweller") is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion from society.

The term commonly applies to a Christian who lives the ''eremitic life'' out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the [[Old Testament (]], i.e. , the 40 years wandering in the desert that was meant to bring about a change of heart).

Often – , both in religious and secular literature – , the term is used loosely for anyone living a solitary life-style &ndashmdash; including the misanthropist &ndashmdash; and in religious contexts is sometimes assumed to be interchangeable with '''anchorite'''/''anchoress'' (from the Greek anachōreō, signifying "to withdraw,", "to depart into the country outside the circumvallated city"), '''recluse ''' and ''solitary''. However, it is important to retain a clear distinction.

Christian hermits in the past have most often lived in caves, forests, or deserts, but some of them preferred an isolated cell in a [[monastery ]] or even a city. From what we know from their contribution to our Christian heritage, male hermits were more common than female.

==Hermits The solitary life is a form of [[asceticism]], wherein the hermit renounces wordly concerns and pleasures in religion==order to come closer to the God. In ascetic hermitism, the hermit seeks solitude for meditation, contemplation, and prayer without the distractions of contact with human society, sex, or the need to maintain socially acceptable standards of cleanliness or dress. The ascetic discipline can also include a simplified diet and/or manual labor as a means of support; for example, the early Christian Desert Fathers often wove baskets to exchange for bread.

The solitary life is Ironically, hermits are often sought out for spiritual advice and counsel and may eventually acquire so many disciples that they have no solitude at all. Examples include St. [[Anthony the Great]], who attracted such a form large body of asceticism, wherein followers in the hermit renounces wordly concerns Egyptian desert that he is considered by both Catholics and pleasures in order to come closer the Orthodox to be the God"Founder of Monasticism. In ascetic hermitism" Other religious hermits include St. [[Mary of Egypt]], St. [[Symeon the hermit seeks solitude for meditationStylite|Simeon Stylites]], contemplation, and prayer without the distractions St. [[Herman of contact with human societyAlaska]], sexThomas Merton, or the need to maintain socially acceptable standards St. [[Sergius of cleanliness or dressRadonezh]], St. The ascetic discipline can also include a simplified diet and/or manual labor as a means [[Seraphim of support; for exampleSarov]], the early Christian Desert Fathers often wove baskets to exchange for breadand Charles de Foucauld.

IronicallyThe Coptic Church distinguishes between a hermit and an anchorite, hermits are often sought out for yet the two words might be interchangeable in the Eastern Orthodox churches. An anchorite according to the Coptic Church is a person with a great spiritual advice stature receiving the gifts of bilocation (being at two places at the same time), agility (teleportation to great distances instantaneously), levitation, and counsel illumination (emitting light), beyond the gift of prophecy and may eventually acquire so many disciples healing that they have no solitude at all"regular" saints are endowed with. Examples include [[Anthony the Great]]Anchorites need not be hermits, hence. A recent-history modern-day married anchorite was Fawziyya Ishaq who attracted such would go into trances and see heaven and talk with saints while her body was paralyzed in bed on earth. Initially a large body hieromonk, Father Abd-AlMaseeh al-Maqari Al-Manahry, left the monastery of followers in St. Makarius and went to the Egyptian desert that he is considered by both Catholics village of Manahra and had all the gift of the Orthodox anchorites. Newly canonized Coptic Pope Kyrillos VI was also an anchorite during his hermitage and solitude but had to be leave the "Founder of Monasticismhermitage to become Patriarch." Other religious hermits include Simeon StylitesHis two disciples, Herman of AlaskaTamav (Mother) Irenee Mercurious (d 2006) and recently departed Father Falta'ose (Philotheus) ElSoriany where also anchorites. Except for Pope Kyrillos, Thomas Merton, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, and Charles de Foucauldthe aforementioned saints where where anchorites but not hermits.