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StsSs. [[Paul of ThebesAnthony the Great|Anthony]] and [[Pachomius the Great|Pachomius]] were early monastic founders in Egypt, although [[St. Anthony the GreatPaul of Thebes]] is the very first Christian historically known to have been living as a monk. Orthodoxy also looks to [[Basil the Great]] as a founding monastic legislator, as well as the example of the [[Desert Fathers]]. St. [[Benedict of Nursia]], who based his own ''Rule'' on that of St. Basil, is often credited with being the father of Western monasticism. How monasticism came to be is a very beautiful story. St. Anthony the Father of Monks was a rich young man, however an orphan. His parents had recently passed away, and he was terribly grieved. When he entered the church, the Gospel reading for that day said, "Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple"(Luke 14:27). Having a good heart which accepted the word of God, St. Anthony did just that. He sold all which he had and set off for the wilderness to live with God alone.
[[Image:Sinai_Monastery.jpg|left|thumb|350px|[[St. Catherine's Monastery (Sinai)|St. Catherine's Monastery]], Sinai, Egypt]]
From a very early time there were probably individuals who lived a life in isolation—hermits—in imitation of Jesus' 40 days in the desert. They have left no confirmed archaeological traces and only hints in the written record. St. Anthony of Egypt lived as a [[hermit]] and developed a following of other hermits who lived nearby but not in community with him. On the other hand, [[Paul of Thebes]] lived not very far from Anthony in absolute solitude, and was looked upon even by Anthony as a perfect monk. (When St. Anthony first encountered him, he came away from the experience saying, "Woe is me, my children, a sinful and false monk, who am a monk in name only. I have seen Elijah, I have seen John the Baptist in the desert, and I have seen Paul—in Paradise!") This variety of monasticism is called ''eremitic'' ("hermit-like").