Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

monasticism 753
famous – to be archimandrite (that is, overall superior) for all the monks of
the diocese. The communities were thus bound to the patriarch in a single
system. That was why Sabas was in such frequent contact with episcopal
affairs: he was always willing to travel up to Jerusalem, not only to consult
with the bishop but to lodge and dine with him and his associates, enjoying
at least occasionally a comfort that may surprise us.
There had been, for a long time, ascetics in Jerusalem itself. That was
inevitable, given the city’s increasing importance as a centre of pilgrimage.
The most famous were on the Mount of Olives, associated with the name
of the elder Melania, and increasingly disdained by the less clerically orientated
Jerome in Bethlehem. Melania encouraged hard work and reflective
reading, in a style of which even Pachomius would have approved. The
Jerusalem communities were marked also by a certain Basilian character
(significantly attractive to ascetics for a time in this very city); a character
associated not only with the proximity of the bishop but also with the
numerous hostels built in Jerusalem, and with a related care for the poor.
The Life of the younger Melania, who reached Jerusalem some forty years
later, provides evidence that such traditions persisted over more than one
generation. Gerontius, her biographer, may disappoint us by dwelling more
on Melania’s personal asceticism than on the details of her monastic ordinance.
Yet she had obviously come to value the mutual respect and moderated
self-denial encouraged by the common life, and set in place a
detailed routine of liturgical prayer in her communities, which were built
within the city. She also mixed easily with bishops and other churchmen. 20
It was with that tradition of urban monasticism and episcopal patronage
that Sabas was now associated (together with his colleague Theodosius),
putting in place an even wider network of authority and dependence that
drew city and desert together. The process was undoubtedly encouraged by
the shifting allegiance of Jerusalem to the Council of Chalcedon (a.d. 451).
The patriarch Juvenal lost, for a time, his authority, following ambiguous
resistance to the decisions of the council; and he was replaced briefly by a
monk. Returning with force in 453, Juvenal presided over a period of some
antagonism between himself and ascetics. Euthymius quietly supported his
authority, but was relatively isolated in doing so. 21 Elpidius and Gerontius,
general archimandrites, took the opposing side. The situation was resolved
only with the accession of Martyrius as patriarch in 478, which represented
a victory for the clergy – a victory that Sabas was willing to accept. Esaias
20 Vita Melaniae 36, 40f. Melania had already set up monastic houses for both men and women during
a stay in Africa, under the shadow of another bishop and ascetic legislator, Augustine. In that instance,
Gerontius is frustratingly vague (perhaps he knew less) (22f.) but mentions (among the women)
reading, fasting, prayer and spiritual direction. Augustine’s own enterprises will be discussed below.
Gerontius himself was later to achieve prominence in the very same milieu.
21 V. Euthym. 27. For events in Jerusalem meanwhile, see 28f.
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